


Through Soaring Dreams

by frozenbakedcookies



Category: Pocket Monsters | Pokemon - All Media Types
Genre: Adventure, Comedy, Drama, M/M, Mild Language
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2017-09-24
Updated: 2019-01-02
Packaged: 2019-01-05 02:41:20
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 31
Words: 48,115
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/12181317
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/frozenbakedcookies/pseuds/frozenbakedcookies
Summary: After traveling with friends Lyra and Silver, the young Pokemon trainer Gold becomes the new champion of Johto and Kanto. Things are looking up for him until he is suddenly sent on a dangerous mission. To find Kanto's legendary missing champion of five years ago, Red.





	1. Chapter 1

**Author's Note:**

> Author's Note:
> 
> Hi there! This here is my very first fanfiction. So I wrote this awhile back on a Thanksgiving weekend. My stomach was hurting and I couldn't go to my friend's party :'( On the bright side I spent that whole day writing this! Things happen for a reason, right?
> 
> This story is based on the characters from Pokemon Gold/Silver/Crystal. Crystal was my first Pokemon game (played it like a gazillion times) so it holds a lot of nostalgia :D. I wrote this story cuz I think this ship is underrated. I also think Gold and his female counterpart (Lyra/Kris) are underrated characters cuz unlike other player characters they traveled two different Pokemon regions, collected 16 badges, and even defeated the first champion Red. 
> 
> Through Soaring Dreams is heavily inspired by another similar fanfiction by the name of "Those Red Eyes" by Rattlehound. It's an amazing story and I highly recommend it for Pokemon fans and fans of Polishipping (Red x Gold ship). Even though I got some ideas from that story I decided to add many of my own elements to the story and characters. 
> 
> As you can probably guess from the pair, its a Yaoi. Meaning boyxboy. If you're uncomfortable with same sex pairings then don't read it.
> 
> Lastly: I don't own Pokemon or any of these characters (wish Red was mine though :P) Enjoy the story!

Chapter 1

If I could carry out his wish, I will live with no regrets….

"We're here," I whispered as the cool breeze brushed my face.

Typhlosion barked in agreement.

"Can you believe it? We're finally in Pallet Town!" I stroked his head.

Typhlosion and I have been traveling since our first meeting back at New Bark Town at Professor Elm's lab, where I met him as a Cyndaquil. Ever since I was a kid, I've wanted a Pokémon companion to take with me on a journey. After a year I defeated all the gym leaders, collecting eight badges and finally went to the Pokémon League. In no time, I became the Johto champion. Knowing I wanted to further my travels, Professor Elm gave me a ticket to the SS Aqua to Vermilion City in Kanto, a region next to Johto. I remembered being so eager about a new region and challengers that I invited my best friends Lyra and Silver on the cruise. Lyra and I joked and laughed at poor Silver who got seasick.

I traveled throughout the Kanto region; collecting all their badges as well. However, I wasn't the first champion of Kanto. Throughout our journey we often heard stories a boy who was the first to defeat all eight gym leaders. After traveling for less than a year he made it to elite four and won with barely a scratch on him; becoming the first champion of Kanto. And to top it off, the boy was only about twelve years old.

Typhlosion nudged my leg.

"Ahaha…sorry for daydreaming so much." I smiled and rubbed his head.

Typholsion trotted away quickly.

"Hey you little-wait for me!" I hollered, trying to catch up.

As I caught up with Typlosion, we began walking to the famous Professor Oak lab. I've met him on a few occasions, and like Professor Elm he always admired me. I was surprised to see him after I defeated Lance at the Pokémon league. Because of Mary's constant pestering of questions, Lance dragged me away before I could say much to Professor Oak. Afterward Professor Elm called me saying that Oak wanted me to visit him once I defeated all the Kanto gym leaders.

It was a sunny mid morning with a bright blue sky. Pallet Town was quite simple but pretty. The houses were all very small and similar, with two stories at most. The lawns were lovely and some people were watering their plants. Children were playing on the streets, with the sound of their laughter enveloping the area. A few older kids were racing on their bicycles.

"I should bike here with Lyra and Silver," I thought out loud. "Oh crap! That reminds me! I gotta call em to meet here first!" I quickly grabbed the PokeGear around my neck and dialed their numbers. Typholsion stopped running and looked back.

"Hello, Gold?" Lyra's childlike voice answered.

"Yo whatsup? You there already?" Silver answered.

"Yeah I'm already at Pallet Town. Where are you guys?" I asked, looking around.

"We're at route 1 so we're almost there." Lyra replied.

"Yeah don't go in without us! We wanna see the old man too!" Silver panted like he just ran.

"Alright I'll be right in front of the lab. It's a huge building; you can't miss it with all these little 1950s looking houses." I said.

"Got it." They responded before hanging up.

I didn't have to wait long before I saw Silver and Lyra running towards me. I waved my hand.

"Hey!" Lyra stopped in front of me. "Hi there Typhlosion!" Lyra patted Typlosion's head affectionately.

"Dude, how the hell did you get here so fast?" Silver said as he caught up behind her. For someone with short, skinny legs, Lyra was always a fast runner. She impressed all the boys in our hometown.

"I walked here," I smiled.

"Show off." Silver responded, still panting. "Anyway, are we on time?"

"We should be. The Professor didn't exactly give us a specific time." I said.

"Well then what are we waiting for? Let's go inside!" Lyra pushed passed us. I returned Typhlosion to his pokeball and followed her inside.

"Huh? Where's the Professor?" Lyra said looking around as we walked in.

Suddenly a familiar spiky brown-haired guy appeared in front of us.

"Oi! You guys looking for Gramps?"

"Hey Blue! It's been awhile, man!" I said joyously.

"Eh? Blue why are you here? Shouldn't you be at the Viridian Gym?" Lyra tilted her head.

"I'm off for today. By the way did Gold tell you guys? The little runt managed to defeat me. Man and I haven't even been running the gym all that long." Blue scratched his head in embarrassment.

"Heh…" I didn't know exactly what to say because it was true. I heard the former gym leader was gone, so I was curious to know who the new gym leader was. I was surprised to see it was Blue, the former champion of Kanto. However, I heard he was defeated by the true champion easily, making his title lasting only a matter of minutes. I couldn't imagine the frustration he must have felt. Not to mention humiliation. Still, Blue was a cool guy despite his attitude.

"Hey! Who the hell you callin' a runt?!" I snapped at Blue.

"You've always been short," Silver snickered.

"But it's okay! That makes you adorable!" Lyra put her arm around me and ruffled my hair.

"Sh-Shut up! And cut that out!" I tried pushing her off while Silver and Blue cracked up.

"Well hello everyone!" an older voice said. "I didn't expect so many guests."

We all turned to see Professor Oak coming in with a ton of paperwork in his hand.

"Professor!" Lyra and I said in unison. Silver slightly bowed his head to him.

"Hey Gramps. Oh here lemme help you with some of that." Blue took most of load in his arms.

"Thank you Blue. Okay kids, come over here so we can sit and talk." Oak gestured to the seating area with two couches and a coffee table in the corner of the lab.

After we settled down, Blue offered to make us coffee while we spoke with the professor.

I noticed a picture to on top of a desk drawer next to the couch Silver was sitting on. It was Professor Oak and Blue in what looked like a garden. Oak had a proud smile on his face with his arm around Blue. Blue wore his usual smirk in the picture. Then I noticed someone else in the picture. To Professor Oak's right was another teenage boy around Blue's age. Only he had a completely different expression. He had silky black hair covered by a red hat. The shadow of his hat that nearly covered his mysterious red eyes. Unlike Professor Oak and Blue the strange boy showed no emotion in the picture. He looked familiar but I couldn't remember where I've seen such a person. I didn't know why, but I was drawn to the red-eyed boy in the picture.

"Gold! Long time no see. You've seen to have grown even more the last time I saw you as the champion." Professor Oak snapped me out of my thoughts.

"Oh- uh yeah, seems so long ago. Nice to see you again, sir." I said.

"And Lyra and Silver, was it? Nice to see you again too. You drag these guys everywhere with you, don't you Gold?"

Silver chuckled. "We only follow him around for our personal entertainment."

Lyra giggled. "We only came with him cuz we wanna see the famous lab in Pallet Town".

"Hey!" I quickly turned to them.

Professor Oak smiled. "Anyways, how's your Pokedexes coming along? Any new discoveries?"

"Oh yeah! We saw a lot more Pokémon we've never seen before in Johto! I tried catching them all but half the time I ran out of Pokeballs… Lyra said sheepishly.

"More like you ran out of money for them..." Silver side glanced her. Lyra pouted.

"Well let's have a look at your progress so far. You've all come a long way on your journey since New Bark Town, so I'm sure you've made remarkable progress." Professor Oak said hopefully.

Blue walked in with our coffee mugs as we handed our Pokedexes to the Professor. While he looked over each one, Blue spoke up.

"I still can't believe how far you guys traveled. And I thought I was impressive when I was a traveling rookie. And this one here collected 16 badges! This midget is a freaking tank!" He pointed at me.

Lyra laughed and Silver shook his head.

"You must be feelin' proud, runt." Silver said sarcastically.

"What? It's nothing really! I mean… And quit making fun of my height!" I growled.

I couldn't deny it though. I was always one of the shortest amongst the other children. While some of the shorter kids had sudden growth spurts I didn't. At sixteen I was only 5'4. Even the petite Lyra was barely shorter than me.

"Alright so aside from Gold's short stature I have further things to discuss." Professor Oak said humorously to my annoyance. "First I'd like to say congratulations to the three of you as you are all nearly complete with your Pokedex. I know some Pokémon are rare but I am proud in what you've accomplished in your travels."

Lyra and I smiled proudly.

"So what now? Do we keep searching 'til we complete our Pokedex?" Silver asked.

"Well there is…" Professor Oak trailed off.

"Gramps! Were you about to say what I think you were gonna say? I think not! Those kids will get their asses killed!" Blue suddenly shouted.

"The hell are you freaking out about? I can handle just fine on my own!" Silver said irritated.

"Hey relax you two! Anyways, Sir what is it you were going to say?" Lyra said.

"Well, given how much you've traveled so far, I'm sure you all heard of Mount Silver right?" Professor Oak rubbed his chin.

We all froze. Indeed, we have heard of the infamous Mt. Silver. It was a mountain that stood in between Johto and Kanto. It was known for its below freezing weather and being home to incredibly powerful wild Pokémon. Hardly anyone was allowed to enter. Awhile back I remembered passing the gate on my way to the Pokémon League. Curious, I went up to the gate but a guard stopped me saying it was too dangerous. At the time I had eight badges, so I thought I was invincible. But hearing that not even trainers at my level were allowed to enter humbled me from further curiosity.

"I really don't know, Gramps…" Blue rubbed his temples. "Only trainer strong enough to go there was him. But that little bad ass defeated Team Rocket, all eight gym leaders, and became the champ within a year."

"Yes well wouldn't you say Gold is nearly his level?" Professor Oak challenged.

"Huh..? What are you talking about?" I gave them a puzzled look.

"Gold became the champion and defeated sixteen gym leaders. Not to mention Team Rocket did in fact return to try to make a comeback. But Gold here stopped them before they were officially reunited. And he eventually became the champion in about a year. Pretty impressive I say, don't you think? Sounds like a bad ass to me." He said with humor and confidence.

Silver rolled his eyes at the older man's remark.

But it was true. Team Rocket did in fact make a return. Lyra and I were exploring Goldenrod City when we decided to check out the famous Radio Tower. However, we could not go pass the 2nd floor since one of the employees told us there was something wrong with the director. We shrugged it off and continued on our adventure. It wasn't until we reached Mahogany Town when we encountered Team rocket. They were forcing the Magikarp to evolve at the Lake of Rage for profit. Lyra managed to catch a red Gyrados who was their main target at the lake. We then met a mysterious dragon trainer named Lance and the four of us headed back to the shop to reveal a secret hideout underneath the floor boards. After we defeated them in their hideout we got a call from Professor Elm saying there might be something going on in the Radio Tower back at Goldenrod. We headed back and the rest of the team was waiting for us. Together we defeated Team Rocket for good and saved the Director. It was a crazy adventure, but in the end we were glad to have worked together. Word spread, and we were celebrities. Even some people in Kanto recognized us as heroes. I often heard, "It's just like years ago, when another young hero saved our region…"

"Well… I guess you're right." Blue said in defeat. He crossed his arms and looked at the floor, with a troubled expression.

"Wait," Lyra interrupted. "What was the favor you wanted Sir?"

"And who's this him guy you mentioned about disbanding team Rocket earlier?" Silver raised an eyebrow.

After staying in silence for a few seconds, Professor Oak spoke up. "Well I'm sure by now you've heard of him. He became the champion of Kanto a few years back. He was quite young, but as Blue said he was able to do all of that within a year. Blue was his rival at the time."

"Wait, you don't mean…" Lyra said as Silver and I leaned forward.

Blue turned away, a pained expression on his face.

"The legendary Pokémon Champion five years ago, Red." Professor Oak finished.


	2. Chapter 2

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> A/N: Hi and welcome to the second chapter of my story! I won't give away of whats gonna be told here so enjoy!

Chapter 2

"Whaaaattt?!" Silver, Lyra, and I shouted simultaneously.

The other scientists in the building looked over at our side, confused.

"Keep it down!" Blue waved his arm.

Red! That's who the boy in the picture with Oak and Blue was. I've often heard of this mysterious red-eyed trainer who barely spoke. A couple years ago, he was the strongest trainer around at only twelve years old. After he won the title of Champion he disappeared into Mt. Silver and hasn't been heard of since.

Blue continued. "Yeah. Bastard's has been missing since he became the champ and hell-we don't know if that little fucker's alive or not."

"Language, Blue!" Professor Oak snapped. "Unfortunately, it's true. Because no trainer has been strong enough yet to be allowed on Mt. Silver, we don't know if Red is still there. He never called us -not even his mom."

"That's terrible!" Lyra said with a slightly angry expression. "Why would he do such a thing?"

"I don't know, but ever since we started this journey he's always been distant and aloof. In fact I'm surprised he even talked to me." Blue's eyebrows twitched.

Though I never met Red in person, from what I heard he and Blue are polar opposites.

"Um, so now what?" I asked.

"Well, it really is up to you Gold. You are in fact the strongest trainer after Red. So the wisest decision would be to choose you to go there and try to find him. If you find him, we want you to get him to come down. Champion or not, Mt. Silver is no place for a human to live. Most of all, his mother is worried." Professor Oak closed his eyes. He was good friends with Red's mother and probably couldn't imagine her pain.

They all looked down while I sat there, not knowing what to say. Then I thought of my own mother and her friendly smile.

"Alright. I'll do it."

Everyone's heads shot up. Even the professor looked shocked.

"Are you freaking serious?" Silver was the first to speak. "There's scary ass Pokémon there plus it's fucking freezing!" Silver never liked the cold weather.

"I'm sure he has his reasons, but I've made my decision. No matter how strong I get, I can never do that to my friends and especially my mother." I said with a determined look on my face. I felt Lyra's smile in my direction while Silver looked away. "But lemme talk to her about this. And more importantly, Red's mother."

"Alright. Thank you, Gold." Oak said.

It was late in the afternoon by the time I walked got out of the lab. I didn't realize how long we've been there. We've been so hung up on this Mt. Silver and Red situation that we didn't realize the sun was setting. Lyra and Silver decided to stay in the lab for the night while Blue went back home. I was fine with it anyways, since I felt I'd be better off talking to his mother alone. I was the only one going, after all.

Professor Oak gave me the address to Red's house. Although Pallet Town was small, the houses were all nearly identical. I can't imagine how embarrassing it must've been to walk into the wrong house in your own neighborhood.

"Here it is!" I finally found the house with the matching address. I took a deep breath and rang the doorbell.

"Coming!" said a woman's voice. A few seconds later, the door opened. A woman who appeared to be in her mid-thirties stood in front of me. She had dark purple hair tied back leaving a few strands resting on her face. She wore a white apron with a heart on it.

For some reason, she looked familiar.

"Hello," She tilted her head slightly. "May I help you, young man?"

"Hello, uh my name is Gold." I introduced myself. "Professor Oak and Blue sent me here."

"Oh Gold! I've heard a lot about you from the professor! You're a friend of Blue's too, am I correct?"

"Yes well um, I'm here to talk to you about something important. Its, um, uh, an errand I have to run. It has to do with your son…Red." I almost choked upon saying his name.

"Oh," Her face fell. "Well do come in." She said trying to keep her smile.

"Make yourself at home. I'll make hot chocolate." She said from the kitchen.

I nodded and sat down on a badge colored sofa. A silence fell between us awhile we waited for the hot chocolate to cool down.

"Um so as I said earlier, I hear a lot about you from Professor Oak and Blue. They mentioned that you collected all the badges in Johto and became the champion. I heard you even defeated our region's leaders. I'd like to congratulate you." She sat down.

"Oh, um, well yeah I guess. Thanks." I was always a little shy whenever someone talked about me being the champion.

"I also heard about Team Rocket planning a comeback. I got a little worried, especially for the baby Pokémon back at the lab." She continued. "But then I heard a young boy and his friends stopped them altogether. It all reminded me of him." Her eyes softened.

"Oh uhh right… uhh Red." I said.

She nodded, smiling sadly. A heavy atmosphere filled the room at his name.

"You know," She broke the silence. "Red wasn't always like this. As a child he was very friendly and talkative. Our neighbor's kids loved him. He was the center of attention."

"What happened?" I asked hesitantly. I found it hard to believe that this mysterious lone wolf was once a friendly, hyperactive kid.

"It was when his younger brother, my second son, died." She closed her eyes.

"B-brother?" I said without thinking. She looked up.

"Ah! I'm sorry it's just… I never expected he'd have any siblings. No one's mentioned it either." I said.

"He never spoke of his personal life." His mother continued. "It pained me to see the surprised and confused look on Red's little face when it happened. Since then, he became distant; even from me. He would stay in his room and play games rather than his friends. Pretty soon, no one wanted to be around him anymore. What scared me the most was that Red never cried. He seemed unfazed by it, but I knew he was only ones who accepted him were Pokémon. They were the only ones he could turn to. He and his brother loved them more than anything. They often talked about getting their first Pokémon. It was his brother's dream to go on a Pokémon journey. But he also wanted to go with his older brother, the one he looked up to most. He wanted to travel with Red more than anything ."

I winced at the familiar words. A Pokémon journey? Together?.

"Then one day Professor Oak, a long time friend of ours, suggested that he'd get his very own Pokémon. He should get out of his comfort zone and have an adventure with his Pokémon. At first, I refused. After losing one of my children I couldn't bear to risk letting another go. But Professor Oak was right. I knew Red needed this. I remember the day he left like it was yesterday. I hugged him and said don't forget to call. He just stared at me with those red eyes I always loved and nodded. He walked off and didn't look back. That was the last time I ever saw him in person." His mother said. Tears fell from her eyes.

"I'm not mad at him, actually. I didn't blame him for being so ambitious. He's living his and his brother's dream. Even if I'm not able to see him. I believe in him. I know he is alive out there somewhere, growing into a wonderful young man. Because of that, I never gave up hope. One day, I will see my son again." She had a sad, dreamy look in her eyes.

Hearing the hope in her voice, I mustered up my courage.

"Well, um…now that you told me about Red, it's time I tell you why I'm here." I tried to sound calm.

His mother looked up, with a questioning look in her eyes. "What is it?"

"Well uh, you see, because I also became the champion. Professor Oak and Blue agreed that I'm strong enough to go to Mt. Silver. That…I'm the only one who can find Red and get him to come down." I said.

Her eyes widened. "Y-You'd do that for me?"

"Yes Ma'am. I'll do my best to find him and bring him back." I said boldly. Though I was feeling uneasy.

"Thank you thank you thank you!" She said as she ran over and hugged me tight."I'll finally get to me my son again!" She sobbed.

As she hugged me, I realized something. I had to find Red. I definitely have to get him off that mountain.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> A/N: So I altered my story from the original fanfiction and gave him a little brother instead. My story actually includes some original characters so look forward to it ^_^


	3. Chapter 3

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> A/N: Yes! Gold has accepted the mission! What challenges await? Stay tuned for Chapter 3 :D

Chapter 3

I bowed to her and told her I'll be right back so I can go and pick up supplies. I went with Blue, Lyra and Silver to the next town over, Viridian City to the Pokemart to pick up necessities I needed for Mt. Silver.

"Dude, I can't believe your tiny ass is going to a big mountain region like that. You're boney self will freeze." Silver teased, even though he was serious.

I picked up some Max Repel on the counter. "Zip it, will you? I'm doing this for everyone's sake. Plus I kinda always wanted to go there. It'd be a fun challenge…I think."

"Yeah, you think." Blue said as he picked up a basket. "Just don't go playing around and remember your goddamn mission."

I dumped the max repel in the basket he was holding. "Like hell I'd play in a place like that!"

"Um, don't forget that it's gonna be freezing up there. Probably worse than the Ice Path to Blackthorn City." Lyra said. "You better bundle up. Buy a coat or something."

"Oh right!" I said quickly turning to the clothes rack. There was a thick jacket, some blue and black scarves, hiking boots and pairs of thick gray gloves.

"Guess I'll take some of these," I said to myself.

"Oh and don't forget extra food! Like soup cups and hot chocolate!" Lyra picked up a few travel mugs.

"Right right," I said.

"And you'll probably need to update your map on your Pokegear! And don't forget to call if you're in trouble." Lyra said snatching my wrist with my Pokegear on it.

"Oi!" I shouted. "What are you my mother?" Silver and Blue chuckled. As bossy as she can be, Lyra was pretty helpful. She always remembered the important things her friends needed and would hassle them so they don't forget. Funny thing is, she was pretty scatterbrained when it came to the needs for herself.

"Don't forget to write, mama's boy." Blue laughed.

"Shut up you!" I said in an aggravated tone. "I swear that attitude of yours makes you and Silver perfect for each other."

"…I'm gonna kick your ass." Silver glared at me.

"Like hell I'd wanna be with that bitchy little ginger!" Blue pointed at Silver.

"Shut up you cocky-ass porcupine!" Silver snapped.

"Go sing in a play Annie!"

"What the fuck did you just call me?"

"Guys!" I gestured my hand to lower their voices. Lyra didn't help at all when she busted out laughing at their smart remarks.

"Hey! You four better keep it down or I'll get security to throw you out!" An employee said.

Blue and Silver finally calmed down and walked with me to the cashier. Lyra covered her mouth to keep herself from laughing. I rolled my eyes and quickly payed before anything else happened.

"Geez Louise, can't I bring you guys anywhere without causing a ruckus?" I said in a pestered tone as we walked through the automatic sliding doors.

"He started it." Blue and Silver said in unison.

"Ugh I should've brought aspirin," I rubbed my temples.

Lyra started laughing again, unable to hold back any longer.

"Hahahahaha! Porcupine-ahaha! Annie-ahahahaaha!"

All three of us sweat dropped. Lyra was always an oddball. She was known for her laughing fits for the smallest remarks. Not to mention she had a high-pitched hyena laugh that was usually funnier than the joke.

As much as they got on my nerves, they were my good friends. I knew Lyra since we were children since we grew up in the same neighborhood. I met Silver when Lyra and I got our first Pokémon at Elm's lab. Silver actually stole one of Professor Elm's Pokémon, Totodile. At first we were rivals because we had different views on being a Pokémon trainer. He was bitter towards me and didn't care for his Pokémon. During our encounter with Lance at Mahogony Town he harshly criticized Silver's lack of trainer skills. After suffering humiliation and defeat, Silver slowly began to change. He made less rude remarks toward me and started showing more affection to his Pokémon. He was soon brave enough to face Professor Elm to apologize for stealing his Pokémon. As a reward for learning his mistake, Elm let him keep it. Since then he joined Lyra and I on our travels and we all became good friends.

We met Blue on the SS Aqua to Vermilion City. I remember we were exploring the ship when Blue pushed passed Lyra without saying sorry. I ran after him saying he better apologize and he told me he was frantically searching for a missing young girl. We helped him search the entire ship until we found her in the main cabin playing with the captain. Her grandfather came and thanked the four of us a million times over. Blue apologized and since then we all kept in contact.

Blue went back to his house parting goodnights to us. The three of us went back to Professor Oak's lab to drop off Lyra and Silver. While packing my supplies I glanced over at the photo on the table beside the couch. I still didn't know why I was so drawn to it. Well, I was more drawn to Red's face in the picture. I shook of the weird feeling and finished packing.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> A/N: So...this was my first ever attempt at writing a comedy scene. Whatcha think? Making people laugh in person is one thing (I make my friends laugh all the time, sometimes unintentionally :3) but having to write funny dialogue is whole different story. Comedy is one of my favorite genres in media. No matter how hard life is, we all could use a good laugh every so often. Though my story is going to be a ride of emotions, so be prepared guys :D


	4. Chapter 4

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> A/N: And here's Chapter 4! So when I wrote this fanficton Pokemon X and Y has already come out and by the time I upload this Sun and Moon has been out as well. Even though this is a story based on Gen 2 characters I want to add the new elements of the future generations. For example Gold's team is gonna have a mixture of Pokemon from different generations. But Red's team will stay the same from the old games. Gotta keep some things old school, right? Anyways, onwards!

Chapter 4

"Are you sure you don't wanna stay in my lab with Silver and Lyra for the night?" Professor Oak asked.

"Nah I'll be fine." I slung my stuffed backpack over my shoulder. "Besides, I want her to trust me if I'm going to be the one retrieving her long lost son."

"Alright then, Gold. Remember, we are all meeting here at eight in the morning, so get some rest, all of you. Goodnight."

"Goodnight!" I waved and Lyra and Silver as I exited out the lab.

Red's mother let me stay the night. She offered Red's room to me. Professor Oak offered for me to stay in his lab with Lyra and Silver, but I declined. He already had Lyra and Silver staying over, and I didn't wanna put extra weight on the old guy.

"Red's room is upstairs, first door on your left. Bathroom is right across." His mother said.

"Alright. Um are you sure it's ok for me to sleep in your son's room?" I hesitated.

"I'm sure he won't mind, and I certainly don't. Now get some rest honey, you'll need it."

"Okay goodnight Ma'am." I walked up the stairs and to the first door to my left. I stopped in front of the door to Red's room. Why am I feeling so nervous? Is it because I'm going to sleep in a legend's room whom I've never met before? I took a deep breath and slowly opened the door. The low creak made my heart skip. I felt like I was in a horror movie.

Red's room was pretty much a typical boy's room. There was an old, red oval shaped rug in the middle in front of the TV and playstation system. His laptop was closed and looked like it hasn't been touched in ages. There was an old, fading green Pokémon poster of a smiling Pikachu and surrounded by many different pokeballs. The shelf next to his computer had tons of Pokémon picture and coloring books. His bed was simple with a white pillow and a plain white blanket with white sheets. I dropped my bag on the rug next to the play station.

"This looks ancient," I muttered at the old styled desktop.

I decided to contact my other best friend Calem from Kalos via pokegear. We met through an online game two years back. He lived in the Kalos region which was quite far from Kanto and Johto so we never met in person. Of course, I wanted to visit sometime. I was planning to go after I collected my sixteen badges, but this mission came first. We'd always exchange our stories of our travels since he was a Pokémon trainer too. His friend and rival Serena became the champion of Kalos. Apparently they had a terrorist group similar to Team Rocket called Team Flare who idolized only money and a beautiful world, but would eliminate Pokémon and anyone who disagrees. Calem and his friends managed to defeat Team Flare and they were recognized as heroes, much like me and Lyra. I'm glad to know there are other champions out there for me to challenge. Calem and I promised to battle one day when we finally met. I planned to use my Sylveon, a fairy type Pokémon and eeveelution he sent to me for my birthday. She was one of my best friends now and I hold her dear as a friend and as a gift.

I decided to call Calem and tell him about my most dangerous mission yet.

"Hello? Gold? Hey how are you!" Calem answered. His hologram appeared and he seemed to be in his room on the computer.

"Hey Calem! Sorry I haven't called in a few days, I was hung up on travels to meet Professor Oak since it was urgent." I said.

"Nah don't sweat it, I understand. We trainers have a lot on our plates, don't we?"

"Yeah I concur," I sighed, exhausted from today.

"Hey uh, where are you right now? That sure doesn't look like your room. Are you at a friend's house?"

"Not exactly. The reason I called has to do why I'm here,"

"Oh really? What is it?"

I told him of the whole ordeal of how I met up with Professor Oak and he and his grandson asked for a favor. I told him of the legendary missing champion Red and how I was the only one who is able to retrieve him on the dangerous and freezing Mt. Silver.

"Whoa man! Are you sure you wanna do this?" A worried expression came upon his face. "This sounds pretty scary. Even Serena would hesitate to go there… Not saying you can't do it, but you sure you're up for this? Want me to get a plane ticket so I can come over there and accompany you?"

"What? No, no! I'll be fine. I've got my Pokémon with me including your Sylveon. I trust them and they trust me. Plus it's my duty, as an owner of sixteen badges and whatnot. I wouldn't want to get any of my friends involved. I'd be a wreck if you got hurt." I said waving my hands nervously.

"Well alright then. Good luck finding the guy, you'll need it. Anyways Ima head out now and you need some rest, so g'night Gold." Calem waved.

"Thanks Cal'. Laters." I said and signed off.

Whew. I was really tired. I decided to head to the bathroom first and then call it a night.

I remember being in a deep sleep when I felt a sudden weight jump onto my chest.

"OW! What the hell?" I quickly sat up.

A familiar pink Pokémon was sitting on top of me.

"Errghh, Sylveon…" I groaned. "Good morning girl," I scratched her soft ears and she purred.

I haven't needed to set my alarm on my pokegear ever since I got Sylveon from Calem. Every time I had to wake up early, she pounced on me before my alarm clock rang. In fact, she always worked better since she didn't have a snooze button.

I groaned and sat at the edge of my bed. Only I remembered this wasn't my bed. Or my room.

"Crap!" I said out loud remembering the situation I was in. I checked the time. 7:15. Alright I still got time. I quickly went into the bathroom to get ready. As I stood in the shower questions swarmed in my head. Where would I look? What if I can't find him? What if he doesn't want to come down? Would he even listen to me? And if he isn't there, where else can he be?

I decided to push these thoughts aside. There was no time to waste, the sooner the better. After I was done I dressed myself in the clothes I bought at the Pokemart yesterday and packed my supplies. When I went downstairs, Red's mom wasn't there. She was probably with the others at the lab. I rushed out, making sure I had everything and to lock the door. I wouldn't want to be the one responsible if something happened to a house I didn't even live at.

I met up with the others in front of the lab. Professor Oak, Red's mom, and Blue was already there. Lyra and Silver were already outside since they slept there.

"Good morning, Gold. You sleep well?" Professor Oak said.

"Morning, Sir. And yes I did thanks."

"Make sure you have everything you need. I wouldn't want you to come crying back saying you froze your ass off and ran out of supplies." Blue said crossing his arms.

"You always gotta say somethin' smart, huh? Well I have everything in my bag. And as you can see, I'm all bundled up." I showed him part of my scarf.

"Oh Silver and I made you soup and hot cocoa this morning. It's in these mugs, so it'll stay nice and warm for a bit!" Lyra practically shoved the mugs into my hands.

"Oh thanks," I said and put it away in my bag.

"You better not die on me, you hear? I have yet to beat your ass in a battle," Silver said, with a hint of worry in his voice.

"I'll be fine guys, don't worry."

Red's mother approached me. "Gold, when you find Red, please give this to him."

She handed me an envelope I assumed was a letter.

"Yes of course. I'll remember." I reassured.

"Thank you so much Gold!" She cried out as she squeezed me once again.

"Alright Gold, let's go!" Lyra said.

"We'll fly you to the gate, and then once you're there you're on your own, runt." Blue said. "Just show your trainer ID to the security guard, Professor Oak already contacted them."

"Alright," I said.

"Be careful, Gold. And good luck." Professor Oak said.

I bowed to him and Red's mom before we let out our flying Pokémon.

"Go! Pidgeot!" Blue yelled and threw a pokeball. Out came a humongous bird that squawked loudly and flapped its wings.

"Dragonite!" Lyra shouted and her dragon Pokémon came out. She and Silver hopped on. I guess Silver didn't want to tire his pint sized Murkrow.

"Alright let's do this. Go! Flygon!" I shouted and my dragon Pokémon flew out.

After we hopped onto our Pokémon, we waved at Professor Oak and Red's mom goodbye. Our Pokémon took off, making them look smaller and smaller.

Along the way Blue and I remained silent while Lyra wouldn't shut up about how excited she was. Poor Silver had to put up with her yapping but returned the conversation anyways. We're pretty much used to her by now; she was pretty fun and lively. I swear it's like she was the one who was going on this mission.

I on the other hand, was nervous about this whole ordeal. I kept thinking over and over about how the hell am I going to survive this let alone get Red's ass back to our world.

Fifteen minutes later, we reached our destination. We stopped in front of the gate and returned our Pokémon.

"Alright man, you're on your own. If you don't find him, you may come back and we can come up with a new plan, ok?" Blue said

"Alright," I nodded.

"Be careful! Make sure to eat the stuff we made you!" Lyra hugged me.

"Must you always force your food down our throats?" Silver crossed his arms.

"Hey! I'm only trying to help." Lyra pouted.

"Alright, alright let's say our goodbyes and let him go. The lil' champ can handle himself," Blue patted my shoulder.

"Thanks." I smiled. "Well I guess I'll be going now. Goodbye everyone!" I waved and ran to the front of the gate.

"Goodbye!" Lyra yelled and the rest of the guys waved back before taking off.

"Name please." The security officer said.

"Uh, Gold," I flashed my trainer ID.

"Alright you may pass. Be careful now. Make sure you got repellent." He said and opened the gate.

"I do thanks." I said and headed off into the great unknown of Mount Silver.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> A/N: And off he goes! Btw I really loved Gen 6 so I decided I wanted to add the characters like Calem and Serena. Also decided to give Gold a fairy Pokemon, the one and only Sylveon! Sylveon and Umbreon are my favorite eeveelutions! What are yours?
> 
> Also what do you guys think of fairy Pokemon? Despite all the negativity it gets because of its strength and immunity to Dragon types, I personally LOVE the addition of fairy types. (and its totally not cuz my nickname is Fairy my friends gave me cuz of my high pitched laugh XD). Fairies are a powerful and unique type and I honestly think people should give them a chance. Dragon types will always be cool too, so don't worry guys :P


	5. Chapter 5

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> A/N: Gold is finally at Mt. Silver! Can a person possibly live under such harsh conditions? Enjoy :D...

Chapter 5

I didn't know exactly where to start. There was a vast land of grass, ponds, and trees. The air was clean and fresh. I even heard a waterfall in the distance. I didn't see buildings or any signs of mankind whatsoever. It was all very breathtaking.

But this was no time to take in nature's beauty. I had to go find Red. The mountain was in clear view, despite it being quite a distance from here. I assumed that out of this whole area, Red would be in the mountain training. Sighing, I took out my pokeball. It'll be much easier to get to the mountain as supposed to just walking there.

"Go! Flygon!"

She let out a cry as she flapped her wings. Before getting on, I sprayed myself with Max Repel. I wasn't gonna risk running into powerful flying type Pokémon on the way there.

"C'mon girl. Let's fly towards that mountain!" I climbed on her back.

She nodded and took off.

It was about a good twenty minutes before we were at the entrance. My eyes widened at the scene in front of me. It was a tall, gargantuan mountain covered in snow. Huge bird Pokémon were flying around it. Their screeches echoed throughout the area. I was so engulfed into the whole scenery that I didn't notice the icy cold wind blowing at my face. Flygon on the other hand, was irritated by the falling ice.

Luckily there was an actual Pokémon center right next to the entrance. Good, at least they had the decency to build one here in case anyone came.

"Thank you girl, I'm sorry about the snow." I scratched her head after we landed. Returning Flygon to her pokeball, I stopped in front of the Pokémon center for a pit stop. When I was done, I walked towards the entrance to Mt. Silver. I had to explore every bit of it if I was going to track down one person. I took a deep breath, but my body was shaking all over. I didn't know whether it was from the cold or the fact that I'm about to enter extreme danger zone to find a legendary trainer.

Either way, there was no turning back now.

I started to regret coming here. Typloshion and I have been traveling all over a mountain region of caves, tunnels, waterfalls. We spent hours getting lost and walking in circles. When we finally started climbing the mountain, it got chillier. Snow started to fall and soon the ground was covered in blankets of heavy, white snow. The winds grew harsher; making the snow hit harder. I tried to return my Typhlosion but each time he dodged the beam or knocked out my Pokeball. I gave up after I realized he didn't want to leave me alone in the cold. The blizzard blinded my vision and pierced through my heavy clothing, which were doing nothing for me at this point. Being unable to see; I missed my footing and got my ankle wedged between two rocks.

"Shit," I thought. I struggled to get my leg ankle out. I managed to wriggle it out, but I made a wrong move and a sharp pain rushed to my ankle. I screamed in agony. I rolled around the snow holding my ankle, screaming over and over again in excruciating pain.

"Fuck! Why me! Goddammit all to hell!"

Typhlosion whined from seeing me in pain.

Unable to walk properly, I leaned on Typhlosion as we walked up to the summit in a last ditch effort to find Red. While we were walking, Typhlosion looked up. Above us were large amounts of snow about to collapse.

"Shit, we gotta move," I grunted and tried my best to walk faster. The avalanche probably wouldn't be that big, but enough to bury both of us. Typhlosion tried nudging and pulling but to no avail. I was about to hop on his back when the snow started hitting us. Realizing we had no time, I decided to at least do one last thing.

"Typhlosion return!" I threw my Pokeball at him before the all snow collapsed.

Despite the heavy and piercing cold pile of snow, I was barely able to make out a silhouette up ahead. Though I was curious to know what it was, my body was too weak to call out. My vision got blurrier and blurrier. Before I completely passed out, I saw a pair of, blood red eyes.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> A/N: Waaahhh Gold is so noble D"x (tear tear)Don't come across many trainers like that... And omg and who eyes are those? :0
> 
> P.S. Sorry if some of my chapters range from long to short. Depending on whats going on I like to add more detail while others I prefer going straight to the point. Any opinions or ideas? I'd be happy to listen.


	6. Chapter 6

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> A/N: Hey guys! Sorry for the long absence but its finally here! Chapter 6! What mysterious await? I made you guys wait so I'll keep this note short; enjoy!

Chapter 6

XXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXX

?'s Point of view

I took a deep breath as the wind blew in my face. Oddly, the cold wind didn't bug me. I found it rather soothing, I've been living up here for five years. Has it really been that long? By now, I was immune to the cold despite wearing thin clothes. I stood at my favorite spot on the summit. I sighed, closing my eyes to clear my mind. Suddenly I felt a tug on my pants.

"Pika pika!" Pikachu was pulling onto my jeans.

I gave him a questioning look.

Pikachu poked at an item half buried in the snow. When I came to inspect it I noticed it was a pokeball. Pikachu tilted his head. He was thinking the same thing I was. What was a pokeball doing out here in the middle of nowhere?

"Pika!" Pikachu cried out again and ran over to another questioning scene. I walked over and saw a large pile of snow he was sniffing at. Before I could inspect it, a red beam of light appeared from the lone pokeball and took the form of a Typhlosion. It ran over the pile of snow and guarded it protectively. It melted from its body heat and I was able to make out something buried underneath. From the scenario I assumed a trainer was under the snow. Typhlosion growled as I tried inspecting the body. I let my hand out towards it. It sniffed my hand and backed away. I scooped up the person and carried him quickly into the cave I lived in, with Typhlosion and Pikachu following behind.

His skin was freezing and was starting to show hints of blue. I shivered just looking at him. How did he manage to climb up here? I felt his pulse. It was faint, but luckily he was still alive. I laid him down on the sleeping bag I usually slept in and moved it closer to the fire Charizard helped me make. I went to the back to get more blankets and placed them over the boy. Typhlosion walked up to its trainer and nudged his face. I scratched its head to reassure it. He nodded and I returned him to his pokeball. I sat there and poked the fire to make sure it'll keep going, since this poor kid needed it.

I decided to take the time to study his features. He looked around fifteen or sixteen. He had navy blue hair covered by a black and gold hat put on backwards, with some of his hair sticking out. He wore a thick black jacket and a black scarf wrapped around his neck and chin. He wore black boots and gray gloves. It seems he prepared himself for the weather condition here, but feeling how cold his skin was, it wasn't enough. At least he'll be safe now. I decided to go train after getting bored from waiting for him to wake up.

XXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXX

*back to Gold's POV*

"Uuggghhh…." I groaned. I tried to get up but I was still tired. After fluttering my eyes a bit I was finally able to open them completely.

Where the hell was I? I slowly sat up and looked around. It appeared to be a cave of some sort. There was a fire next to me. It was quiet in here, except the sound of a crackling fire that echoed throughout the cave. I noticed all these blankets piled up on me. Did someone do this for me? And who? How did I get here?

"Ugh…," I groaned again. I had so many questions racing in my mind. It didn't help when I realized my head hurt a bit. I removed a glove from one of my hands and brought it to my head. I had a slight fever. No surprise, who wouldn't get sick after walking up a snowy mountain for half a day only to pass out in the snow. I wanted to get up and explore, but I was still too tired to move. I collapsed back into the sleeping bag. At least I was finally warm now. It felt so cozy that I almost drifted off into another sleep…

"PIIIIIKKAAAAACHHHHUUUUUUUUU!"

"AAAAAHHHHH!" I yelled, bolting upward in the sleeping bag. I whipped my head around, frantically searching for where the source of the noise came from. What the hell was that? And where was it coming from?

I almost tumbled over trying to get up. Geezus, what the hell? I decided to investigate. It sounded like it was coming from outside. I got up but completely forgetting about my injury, I fell over.

"Ooommpphhh!" I tried getting up. "Errghh…" I decided to hop towards the cave entrance. As I wobbled over, I noticed a small, yellow mouse like Pokémon charging at a boulder with full speed. It seemed to be performing Volt Tackle.

"Shit!" I muttered. I hid behind the cave entrance a bit when it collided with the boulder. It shattered into a million pieces, yet the little Pokémon seemed unfazed.

"Geez, that little guy is a tank…." I thought. And I thought my Pokémon were impressive.

I peered over again to get a better look. I could see now that it was a Pikachu. Behind it was what shocked me.

A tall figure stood behind the Pikachu, whom I assumed was its trainer. He wore a red and white cap on his head. He had silky, raven black hair which fell over his pale face and past chin length. He wore black fingerless gloves, a red and white short sleeved jacked with a black t shirt underneath, and blue jeans. His sneakers were red and white.

Holy shitballs! Mother of Arceus! That was Red! The legendary Pokémon trainer Red! So he really was on Mt. Silver this whole time! And how the hell is he not cold in those clothes?

"PIIIKAAACHUUUUU!" a severe thunderbolt emerged from Pikachu's cheeks.

"Shit!" I cried out. Not again! I tried to duck but the pain in my ankle made me collapse onto the snow.

"Oomf!" Snow got into my mouth and I gagged on it. While I was coughing it out I heard footsteps approach me.

I froze. I stared at the ground with my fist clenched to my chest. I felt my heart beat skip a beat when a shadow loomed over me. I gulped and slowly looked up. My gold orbs went wide when they locked with red ones. The same pair of eyes I saw before I passed out.

Red stood tall in front of me; unfazed by the cold wind. His blank, yet piercing eyes-the reddest I've ever seen- bore no visible pupils or shine whatsoever. Were those really the eyes of a human? I gawked at him, scared and dumbfounded.

We stared at each other in silence. The only sound was the wind whistling in the snowstorm. We stayed like this for only about a minute, but it felt like an eternity.

"Uh …" I finally opened my mouth, but I was unable to form words. I didn't even know what to say in the first place.

He didn't respond or even flinch. I would've thought he was a statue.

"Pika?" Pikachu scampered over to his side. I blinked a few times and looked at it.

"H-hello there…" I turned to Pikachu, trying to smile. I still felt Red's piercing gaze.

I was suddenly lifted off the ground.

"Wh-what do you think you're doing? Put me down!" I waved my arms and legs frantically in his arms as Red walked back into the cave. He was surprisingly strong; my movements did nothing. He placed me back down on the sleeping bag and sat in front of me, and poked at the fire with a nearby stick.

"Um…" I started. Looking at the fire and blankets, I suddenly remembered. "Uh… thanks for saving me."

Red didn't say anything. Not even a glance.

"Um, excuse me? I said thank you." I repeated.

Red looked up a bit, but quickly returned his focus to the fire. Still didn't say anything.

Geez Louise. It's no joke that the mysterious champion never talked.

"Um…Anyways, my name is Gold. Nice to meet you, Red." Why was I being so formal? I only did this when I was nervous. Then again, I was talking to the ultimate Pokémon master.

Once again, he said nothing.

Aggravated, I grabbed my backpack.

"Screw this shit. I'm out." I got up but my ankle gave in and I fell on my knees.

"Aaaghh… Fuck that hurt…" I took off my boot to look at my ankle. Huh? There was already a bandage on it. But I could see the swelling through the bandages. Did Red do this for me? He must've had to inspect my body for any case of frostbite. I blushed at the thought of him having to remove my clothes…

Red walked over to me and bent down to inspect my ankle. He went to the deeper part of the cave and came back with what looked like some first aid kit.

He took my ankle and removed the old bandages. I winced when I saw how swollen and blue my ankle was. He started rubbing some medicine on it then wrapped it firmly but perfectly around my ankle. I wonder how many injuries he's had to be able to dress a wound so quickly. He didn't look like the clumsy type.

I looked at the bandages. It was now perfectly intact. Red picked me up and carried me back to the sleeping bag. He sat across from me once again.

"Oh…uhh… thank you…R-Red…," I said nervously.

He was looking down but nodded slightly.

After awhile of awkward silence, I let curiosity get the best of me and asked, "Hey uh, Red… I barely survived climbing up here, so why do you live here?" It was true. Who'd want to live in a freezing, isolated mountain with no human contact?

No answer.

"I know there's a reason. No one is mad enough to stay up on this North Pole of death." I said, slightly annoyed.

Still no answer.

"God you're fucking annoying! I barely known you for ten minutes and you're already pissing me off!" I shouted, my voice echoing throughout the cave.

Red looked at me dead in the eye. Despite his impassive expression I saw a flicker of blood boiling anger in his eyes. He turned his attention back to the fire. Seeing those eyes made me flinch. I think my outburst made him more pissed off than I was. Ok I get it. He's not the type of person you'd want to get angry. I noticed that in the quiet ones.

"I-I-I'm sorry…" I stammered. "I should thank you for saving my life and taking care of my ankle… when you don't even know me. I have no right to be angry with you. I-I'm sorry." I looked down and played with my shaking fingers.

He shrugged it off and went into the "kitchen" part of the cave and took out some condiments. One of them looked like to be canned soup. He poured the contents into a pot and started cooking with a stove on top of the rock. I peered over to the entrance of the cave. I didn't realize it was still early morning. Wait… I remember it being around 10 at night when I passed out in the snow. Is it the following morning? I checked my Pokegear.

"Holy shit!" I cried out.

I seemed to have startled Red, who instantly turned towards me from the pot.

"It's Monday! And I left Saturday! That means I was asleep for two whole days!" I cried out, face-palming myself. "What the hell? Was I so sick that I was unconscious for two days?" I said, quickly turned to Red.

He nodded.

"Geezus…" I can't believe I risked my life up here. But for some reason, I was kinda glad I found Red.

Red poured the soup contents to a bowl. He took a bottle of water and the bowl and handed them to me.

"Eh? For me..?" I stuttered. "Oh…. Uhh, thank you…" I slowly brought the spoon to my lips. It was chicken soup. I guess it was to help me recover from the cold. Plus I haven't eaten or drank anything in two days. I devoured the soup and chugged the water in minutes.

"Hey uh, Red?" I asked, feeling a blush creep across my face

Red turned to me.

"Um well, you see... uhh… since I was, you know, knocked out for two days, that means, I uh… haven't….showered…so uh…Do you know where I can… you know?" I asked in embarrassment. I knew it was bad to shower after a meal, but I didn't wanna waste another second not being clean.

Red went over to my side and scooped me up from my sleeping bag. He walked to the back of the cave entrance and I saw he had a mini bathroom setup with medical supplies, toothpaste, toilet paper, and even porta potty! How did he get that? Did he get someone to come and set that up here? I didn't feel like pestering him with questions, so I left it alone.

He continued carrying me into the cave, and I was surprised it went deeper than it did. I saw a light up ahead and noticed another entrance below.

"Eh?" I heard the sound of a waterfall running. We came through the entrance and I saw small waterfall with a stream running deep inside the cave. It was partially outdoors, since there was an opening in the ceiling, letting the sun shine through. Because of that some plants flowers managed to bloom here. It was a beautiful scenery, like something you'd see in a fairytale.

Red placed me down near the grass like area and nodded toward the waterfall next to it.

"Wait wh-what?" I stammered in utter shock. "You expect me to shower in that?"

He just stared back at me.

Furrowing my eyebrows, I stretched out my hand to touch the running waterfall.

"Huh?" I was surprised by how warm it was. I'd expect it to be freezing like the rest of the Mt. Silver region. Then again, this whole cavern was a bit unusual. There were still many mysteries of this mountain people have yet to explore.

"Um, thanks. Uh, I'll be fine from here. I'll just call out when I'm done," I said.

Red walked away.

I removed my clothes carefully as to not put pressure on my ankle. I hopped over to the water and stood under the running waterfall. It felt soothing. I was able to relax and clear the cluttered thoughts in my mind.

I got surviving Mt. Silver done. Finding Red? Done. Getting Red to back to society is another story. It might be harder than the last two agendas. For now, I'll focus on my ankle getting better. Once it heals-which will take over a week- maybe I can tell Red about why I'm here in the first place. At least he'll get to know me before being suddenly asked to come down.

When I was done, I dried myself with the towel he placed and put on my clothes.

"Red! I'm done!" I called out.

A few seconds later he walked back in and carried me back to the main cave. At least there was a bathroom in this "house" of his.

I noticed Red was wearing a black t shirt and pants, which I assumed was his sleepwear. I looked outside. It was getting pretty dark. I didn't do much today, I was exhausted. I sighed and flopped backwards into the sleeping bag and pulled the blankets up.

"Um, Red thanks again for saving me. I'm sorry if I'm such a burden, but I want you to know how grateful I am." I said.

He looked at me then lied down on his sleeping bag. He slowly closed his eyes. I saw his face go from tense to calm in minutes. I noticed his long, black eyelashes that gently brushed across his pale skin. Red looked like a different person when he was asleep. It made me wonder what other dark secrets this boy was holding. I probably looked like a creep staring at him while he slept, so I looked away and fell into a deep sleep.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> A/N: Omg they finally met! What did you think of their first encounter? I tried to make it as tense as possible since their personalities are contrasting. Btw sorry about the wait, I had midterms and got sick -ugh life- . but stay tuned for more!


	7. Chapter 7

Chapter 7

It felt like any other morning. I slept soundly till I woke up to the smell of Mom's cooking.

"Gold! Breakfast!" She called from downstairs.

I stretched and yawned. "Coming!" I called back.

It was one of my favorite memories from childhood. Since my journey started, I've been away from home. I'd eat in whatever café or restaurant was around in the city I was at. Though it was fun to try new things with friends, I would occasionally miss my mom's cooking.

For the first time in awhile, I woke up to the smell of breakfast. Was I home? Was freezing to death at Mt. Silver just a nightmare? Did Mom come to rescue me? I could almost hear her voice telling me to come down.

"Coming!" I said and sat up.

I woke up to the smell of food, but I wasn't home. I looked around and noticed I slept on a futon in a cave. A tall figure was cooking over a stove top.

My eyes widened. Last night wasn't a dream.  
Red looked over my direction. I gawked back. His bored expression turned back to the stove. I guess that's his way of saying "You're finally up."

I sighed and put my face in my hands. I still couldn't believe this was really happening. I survived after almost freezing to death only to be saved by the person I was looking for. Not to mention this person was a legend.

I was snapped out of my thoughts when I saw a pale hand place a plate of food in front of me.

I looked up. "Oh thank you," I said. He sat opposite of me and ate. It was sausage and eggs with a side of pancakes. I absentmindedly ate it while my head was still in the clouds. I looked across and noticed Red had given himself a lot less food than he gave me.

"You're not gonna eat more?" I asked.

Red just continued eating.

"Um its pretty cold up here. I would think you'd want to eat way more than that." I raised my eyebrow at his light breakfast.

Red peered up from under his hat. He didn't look very pleased with what I said, but continued eating anyway. Maybe he just didn't have a big appetite.

….

After washing our plates Red got up and clipped his pokeballs to his belt.

"Where are you going?" I asked.

He took out his pokeball and pointed outside. Oh. Guess he was gonna train.

"Hey, uh…Can I watch you train?"

Red shook his head.

I looked down again. "Uh, how about I watch from inside the cave? Maybe you can, uh, bring the sleeping bag over there." I suggested.

Red looked at me for a few seconds and sighed. He dragged the sleeping bag over to the entrance, close enough that I could see but not so close that I could get hurt.

"Thanks," I said.

He walked outside towards the boulders near the cave. He threw his pokeball and an Espeon appeared. It looked over to him then its eyes glowed, shattering the boulder into rubble. I hid behind the mouth of the cave in time.

Wait… What?

Did his lips move when Espeon turned to him? How would it understand what he commanded if he didn't speak? I'd have to watch again carefully, this time I'll to keep an eye on Red when he commands his Pokémon's next move. And on a Pokémon that wasn't a psychic type.

He returned Espeon and threw out his next Pokémon, Charizard. It growled and flapped its wings. I winced at the huge dragon like Pokémon.

I watched Red carefully this time. Suddenly, Charizard let out a powerful air slash, shattering yet another boulder.

Wait a minute! Red didn't speak! I didn't even see him move his lips! No way! How did his Pokémon know what to do?

I sat there with my mouth hanging open as he trained his other Pokémon. It was the same each time; he never spoke a word yet his Pokémon knew exactly what to do. Imagine him battling a trainer! They wouldn't know what Red's Pokémon would do next! That would be a good strategy, but I've never seen anyone use it. You'd have to have a very strong bond with your Pokémon for them to understand you without speaking. Then again, it's no wonder he's called the Pokémon Master.

When he was done, he walked back to my sleeping bag and dragged me inside to the usual spot. I sat there stupefied. Will there ever come a day when we would battle? I never went up against someone who doesn't need to speak to their Pokémon. It'll be one hell of a challenge.

"I was just thinking what an amazing trainer you are!" I said when he sat down. "You didn't speak once, but they seemed to know what to do…and I just think that's incredible…No wonder they call you the Pokémon Master!"

He blinked, and quickly looked down. I swore I saw him blush for a second. I was surprised at the small sign of emotion.

"Oh shit!" I cried out.

Red seemed a bit startled and looked over.

"Talking about Pokemon made me remember... Did you see a pokeball outside? It has my Typhlosion!" I asked.

Red pointed to my bag. I looked in and saw six pokeballs. I sighed from relief. I picked up the ball and a red beam appeared. Typhlosion probably sensed it was me and came out.

"Typhlosion! I'm sorry buddy I'm so selfish. I almost forgot what happened out there. I'm glad your okay." I leaned my forehead against his.

Typhlosion purred. I scratched his neck affectionately. "Thank you for staying with me out there. Here you deserve to rest." I returned him to the pokeball.

I smiled to myself knowing my Pokemon was safe. I just remembered Red, who was watching with slight intrigue.

"Oh, uh when I was walking outside in the snow an avalanche was about to collapse on us. I sprained my ankle and couldn't run away in time so I returned him before the snow fell. I'm guessing you found me shortly afterward." I said.

Red listened intently. I couldn't explain it, but his blank stare seemed a bit different.

"But thanks for returning him. I don't know what would've happened if you weren't there." I gave him a shy but genuine smile. Red looked back for a few more seconds then nodded. He seemed to be back to his usual expression.

I really wish I could read minds.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> A/N: So I wanna try developing their relationship for the next few chapters. Hope you guys won't get too bored, I'll add in some more comedic moments next time. Until then!


	8. Chapter 8

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> A/N: Hey guys! Sorry for being a week behind had to study for midterms D'x Anyhoo, there's more bonding time between Red and Gold so enjoy ;P

Chapter 8

Since I haven't been moving much, my body started to become sore. I was so used to running around that sitting in the same position made me sore. One day I was rubbing my shoulders and groaning. Red seemed to notice this.

"What? Oh it's nothing; I'm uh, just a little sore from sitting in one spot." I said.

Red got up. He walked over and sat in front of me.

"Huh? What's up?" I tilted my head.

He pointed to my jacket.

"What?" I said, still confused.

What he did next shocked me.

He leaned forward and started unbutton my jacket.

"Oi! What are you-"I squirmed and tried to stop his hands but he didn't budge. "Stop it!"

He managed to get my jacket off me and tossed it aside.

Too shocked for words, I looked at him in horror. He just stared, expressionless as usual. I assumed it was a way to tell me to stop struggling and stay still. With those intimidating eyes, I decided to do as I was "told".

After a few seconds, he pulled off my sweater.

"Wai-wha-!!" I cried out. I closed my eyes and turned my head away from him, blushing.

He took off his fingerless gloves and scooted around so he was sitting behind me.

"Wait what are you-Ahh!" I felt a sudden chill as his cold hands touch my back. Then I realized what he was doing.

"Hey Red… you know you don't have to..." I glanced at him over my shoulder. He just continued what he was doing. I turned away. I assumed he was doing this because he wanted to.

"Mmph" I clamped my hand over my mouth to keep from making noises; gaining a chuckle from Red. I felt tingly sensations with each movement. His cold, boney fingers were gently caressing my back. I was already feeling better. Since when did he learn how to properly do massages?

I felt icy fingertips touch my neck.

"Ah…" I couldn't help but let out a sigh. I finally relaxed and closed my eyes. I had to keep myself from moaning the whole time. It all felt so good that I started to doze off a bit.

After about twenty minutes, he was done. My body felt better already. He got up and I turned to him.

"Um, thank you. I feel a lot better now." I said quietly.

Red looked back at me and nodded.

I was actually grateful. Red was doing so much for me, and he just met me a week ago. The only times I felt an instant connection were with Lyra, Silver, Blue, and Calem. Does this mean Red and I will become good friends?

Deep down, I was kinda hoping so.

A few days later I woke up pretty early. I checked my Pokegear. It was eight am. I still had no signal up here. During the whole time I was here, I tried to contact my friends, Professor Oak and even my mom to let them know how I was doing. Unfortunately, I couldn't get any reception up here. I hope they weren't panicking.

I groaned, shaking off the worried thoughts of my friends. I decided to go to the bathroom and shower. I didn't see Red in the kitchen, so I assumed he was already out training. After I finished with the bathroom, I took a towel and proceeded to the cavern to shower. I was still a bit sleepy as I stumbled down into the cavern, so I didn't notice until I was a bit closer.

"!!!!"

I quickly put my hand over my mouth and hid behind a nearby boulder.

Shit! I didn't realize that aside from training, Red could be showering this early in the morning. Damn, that would've been embarrassing if I just casually walked closer.

I didn't know why, but I decided to peek over. I wasn't far from where he was, so I managed to see pretty clear.

He was standing under the running water. His back was facing me, but I could see he had a toned body despite being skinny. I guess it was from all that training here in Mt. Silver. His skin was pretty pale, and I assumed it was because he spent all this time in the mountains rather than outside in the sun.

He turned a bit and proceeded to wash his hair. He craned his neck up with his eyes closed and his hair fell backwards against the running water. He brought his hands to his hair and scrubbed it.

Wait a minute! Just what the fuck am I doing?? Why was I staring?? Not to mention the fact that he was naked!! What the hell came over me?!

I hid behind the boulder and then decided to head out in a panic. Only I remembered that walking quickly on a badly sprained ankle was not the best idea.

"Oomph!" I stumbled forward.

Shit. I got on my knees and slowly turned my head.

Red was looking back at me; his face was completely blank. His wet hair was slicked back, so I was able to fully see his face for the first time. It wasn't his usual hairstyle, but at the back of my mind I didn't hate it. Wait, why wasn't he shocked or anything? Wouldn't most people be if someone walked in on them showering? And why isn't he trying to cover himself? He just stood there nude, eyes locked with mine.

(Here's a link to my sketch of this scene :D)  
https://imgur.com/a/u8XHc

Come to think of it, Red was not a bad looking guy. His delicate yet intimidating features suited who he was. Especially those eyes that seemed to pierce through my soul every time our eyes met. I couldn't help but stare back, my mouth slightly open. I didn't realize it, but I was admiring him. I watched the water stream down his perfectly toned body, which was now turned so I could see his abs.

We stared at each other for a bit in silence. I could only hear the waterfall streaming and my heart literally pounding in my chest. My face got redder and redder by the second. After coming to my senses, I realized what I was doing.

"Ah! Um…uhh…I-I-I'm sorry! I-I didn't know you were in here!" I stuttered. I got back up and wobbled as fast as I could without hurting my ankle out of the cavern. I didn't dare look back.

"Whew," I flopped down on my sleeping bag. "What the hell just happened…?" I put my face in my hands. Did I seriously do all that? Ugh… what's wrong with me? What's this sudden weird feeling I have?

I heard footsteps and instantly froze. I didn't want to lift my face from my palms. The footsteps finally stopped dead in front of me. Out of fear and curiosity, I slowly looked up. Once again, my eyes met the piercing gaze of Red himself. He didn't look angry, but he seemed to want an explanation.

"Red…I'm…I really am sorry… I didn't mean to walk in on you like that…I…I really didn't know you were there. I'm sorry!" I quickly bowed my head.

I didn't expect a response, so I looked back up again. Red just shrugged and walked to the kitchen to cook breakfast.

I felt a sudden wave of relief. I was glad he didn't take it the wrong way. Even if he hasn't spoken to me yet, I could already tell Red was the understanding type. Maybe he wasn't as cold hearted as he seemed.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> A/N: Surprised? I added not one but two fanservice scenes for all you Polishippers :D (Even I got a little excited from reading my own fanservice XD) It was my treat to you all so, you're welcome! <3


	9. Chapter 9

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Omg long time no see everyone! I deeply apologize for making you wait ;_; I had finals and my old computer broke down and had to retrieve everything onto my new laptop. Anyway, you've waited, so here it is! Enjoy ^.^

"Hey Red," I asked the one day at lunchtime.

He looked up from his plate.

"Um… may I ask… how old were you when you stopped talking? Uh- I mean, I'm sorry I was just kind of curious… Uh you don't have to answer!" I finished quickly. It's been about two weeks since I stayed here, and I haven't had the courage to ask once. I finally let my curiosity get the best of me.

Red's mouth twitched a bit. Then he held up nine fingers.

"So you were nine, and I'm guessing you're eighteen now," (I assumed since that was Blue's age and they've known each other since childhood). "So nine years without talking?" I asked.

He nodded sadly.

"Is there a reason? I mean, like why you decided to stop speaking?" I blurted out without thinking.

He looked at me at first and then looked down. I suddenly felt guilty for asking such a personal question.

"I'm so sorry, Red. I shouldn't have asked something so personal." I looked down.

Red looked at me briefly and focused his attention back to his nearly empty plate. There was a bit of an awkward silence hanging in the air.

"Since I'm such a chatterbox I can't imagine not saying anything for that long. Even my friends are grateful if I zipped it for two minutes," I laughed awkwardly.

Red shook his head. I'm glad I was able to lift the mood a bit.

I was so distracted from my unusual encounter that I nearly forgot the reason I came here. I was on an errand. An errand to get Red back down and see everyone-especially his mother- once again.

"Uh, Red?" I asked a few days later. I had to control myself to keep from shaking.

He turned to me from the breakfast he was making. At least now he acknowledged me when I called to him.

"I didn't tell you from the beginning… a-and you must be wondering w-why I'm here…" I said, my fingers fidgeting nervously.

His eyebrow rose slightly.

"W-w-well… you see, I uh, was sent here. By Professor Oak… and Blue…. And uh your mother…They sent me here to find you…you know, to see if you're okay…" I barely managed to get those words out.

I saw his face go from impassive to shocked, though it only showed for a few seconds.

"Here, uh…" I dug into my backpack and handed him the letter. "She gave me this so I can give it to you when I found you."

He slowly reached out and hesitated before taking the envelope carefully in his hands. He looked down at it, with a mix of fear and sadness slightly hinted on his face. As he stood there staring at the envelope, a silence fell upon us. Only the sound of the sizzling eggs was echoing the cave.

"Um, if you need to go somewhere in private to read it, I'll cook breakfast!" I suddenly got up. "You've done a lot, so no need to worry..."

Red's only response was walking out of the cave and into the snow. I assume he was going to read it in his favorite spot, near the cliff.

I watched as he walked out, and stood there thinking. How was he going to react? Would he even care that everyone-especially his mother-misses him? Or would he automatically agree to come down? As these questions enveloped in my mind, I heard the sound of the eggs still sizzling. I quickly turned to it and prepared the rest of the breakfast Red was planning to make.

I managed to make breakfast for the both of us despite the fact that I was shaking the whole time. After about ten minutes, I let curiosity get the best of me. I limped toward the entrance and peeked outside. From a distance, I could see Red's figure looking down and something in his hands. I presumed it was the letter his mother wrote. I carefully walked closer to him. When I got close enough, I hid behind a boulder. What I saw shocked me.

Tears poured down his face. His hands were shaking, and given that he's used to Mt. Silver, I knew it wasn't from the cold. I made a wrong move and fell face first into the snow. Great. I'm probably the biggest goof that Red's met…

I felt arms scoop me up from the snow. I quickly rubbed the snow out of my face and eyes and spat out the snow that got into my mouth. I felt droplets fall on my face. I wiped them off with my fingers. Were these tears? I peered up slightly and could see new tears falling down his face. He placed me down on the sleeping bag yet again and put his letter in his bag. He turned his attention to the fire, deep in thought.

Not knowing what to say, I decided to go off topic. "Uh, I finished making breakfast. You can eat it once you're hungry…" I said quietly.

His head turned slightly to the plate with his food on it, but he turned away. He put his face to his hands and soon I heard quiet sobbing.

I sat there dumbfounded. Wait a minute…. Didn't Red's mother say that he hasn't cried once since his brother's death? Then that means this was the first time he's cried in years! Holy crap!

Not knowing what else to do, I crawled over in front of Red.

"Red?" I whispered.

He looked up from his hands, and for the first time I saw true emotion from his face. His eyes looked broken and tears flowed down his face. He put his face back into his hands.

Without thinking, I reached out to grab his wrists. His went stiff, and I let go of his wrists and leaned in to hug him. I felt his shocked body trying to pull away, which compelled me to hug him tighter. He stopped resisting and started to sob again as he accepted my hug.

"Red…." I shushed into his ear as he continued sobbing into my arms. Despite the sad atmosphere, I felt a sense of warmth as we hugged.

We sat there for a few minutes; his sobs soon dying down. When he was done, I made eye contact with his now puffy, red eyes.

"Let's get some rest, okay?" I said gently and stroked his face. After we changed into his sleepwear, he set out his sleeping bag and crawled in; his back facing me. I bent down next to him, putting a hand on blanket on his shoulder. I felt a sudden wave of guilt after seeing him break down, and to a stranger no less.

"Red...I'm sorry…" I whisper, leaning near him. I felt his body go tense. I stroked his hair. I was surprised; it was the softest I've ever felt. Softer than Lyra's, who goes nuts with different brands of conditioner. I felt his body relax and continued stroking his hair.

Without thinking, I crawled in the sleeping bag with him. He turned his body, facing me with a slightly confused expression on his face. I just smiled and put my arm around him.

"Rest, okay? I'll be by your side, Red." I whispered.

He nodded slowly and turned back around, my arm still on him. With that, we drifted off into a deep sleep.

My ankle was now healed, and I could've tried to leave Mt. Silver. However, seeing Red still confused and indecisive about the letter, I decided I didn't want to leave without him.

For the next few days, we talked less. (Well, I did). Instead I would just comfort him silently. Whenever he put his face in his hands, I'd gently rub his back. Whenever he cried, I'd hug him and run my fingers through his hair. Some would argue that people need space when in situations like this. But Red has been alone for so long that I felt it was best to let him know someone was there.

One day, I asked Red if I can go to the Pokémon Center. I wanted to rest my Pokémon and give them a break from the cold. However, I didn't exactly know my way down from here. I could easily just get Flygon to help me fly down there, but knowing so little about this mountain would just take longer. Since Red's been here for so long, I figured he'd know the way.

"Thank you so much, Red." I bowed my head a bit. "I'm sorry, it's just I feel better healing them there. I promise we can go back up there. I'll be with you." I finished with a smile.

Red nodded. He took out his pokeball and was about to send out his Charizard. I grabbed his arm to stop.

"?"

"Red, you train your Pokémon here all the time. And I wouldn't wanna wear them out just for me. C'mon, we'll hope on my Flygon." I suggested.

Red stared at me for a bit then agreed.

After flying for awhile, we found the grass area with the Pokémon Center (thanks to Red's directions of pointing gestures).

Once we landed, I scratched Flygon's head affectionately before returning her to her Pokeball. I stretched my arms and body.

"Man does it feel good to be on the ground again!" I said as I did some brief stretching exercises.

Red gazed around the scenery.

"Beautiful isn't it? It's like a vacation spot for a honeymoon or something." I said.

Red turned to me, his eyebrow slightly raised.

"Ah! Wait I don't mean it that way! I-I mean we're both guys and g-guys don't go on honeymoons together!" I frantically waved my hands.

Red just stared back.

"U-uh-um, what I mean is… uh it's like a family vacation! Yeah! I-I mean, it's all so pretty, so it looks like we're on vacation o-or something...…" I drifted off, not knowing what else to say. I rubbed my head. Great. Saying and doing the stupidest shit in front of the Pokémon Master who wasn't much older than me. I really am the biggest doofus ever….

Red stared for a bit and laughed.

Wait, did I just make the silent, mysterious champion…laugh? And was this also the first real smile I saw on his face?

He laughed for about a minute before calming down and turning his attention back to me. His eyes looked different. Instead of the usual cold, intimidating stare, his red eyes now looked warm. I stared back in shock at this other side of him, my mouth slightly open.

He nodded at the Pokémon Center.

"Oh right! Silly me, I almost forgot…" I said, suddenly remembering why we came down here. "Let's go inside!"

We walked into the sliding doors of the Pokémon Center.

"Good morning, Red. It's been awhile. I see you have a friend." Nurse Joy smiled politely.

Red nodded at her.

"Huh? You know her?" I looked back at Red.

"Even a lone wolf has to heal his Pokémon sometime." Nurse Joy laughed.

"I just thought no one knew of your true whereabouts." I pointed out.

"I promised not to tell, it is his decision after all. By the way, what's your name, young trainer?"

"Right… Oh! Uh, my name's Gold! Nice to meet you" I bowed.

"Gold? Oh you mean the new champion of Johto and Kanto?" Nurse Joy's eyes widened.

I gulped and nodded shyly. Red turned to me; his eyes slightly wide.

"Oh my! Red haven't you heard? Gold's always on the news and everyone talks about him! He became the new champion in a year! It's an honor to finally meet you!" She bowed slightly.

"Oh it's nothing, heheh…" I rubbed the back of my head. Red continued looking my way, looking a bit surprised.

"Oh wow having two young champions stand before me! I must be the luckiest nurse in all of the regions! And they feel sorry for me that I have to work all the way out here." Nurse Joy giggled, talking to herself now.

"Um…A-anyways, I'm here to heal my Pokémon." I said, handing over my set of pokeballs on the table to her.

"Ok I'll take your Pokémon for a few seconds." She said as she took the tray to the machine. After it was done, she handed them back to me.

"Thank you for waiting, your Pokémon are fully healed. We hope to see you again!" She bowed once more.

After exiting the Pokémon center, we laid down on the grass. We watched the thin, white clouds slowly drift in the blue sky. I felt a sense of déjà vu. Where have I been in a similar situation before?

I jumped as I heard my Pokegear make a beeping noise.

Red and I turned to my bag.

Wait a minute…how long have I been up in Mt. Silver? And since I didn't have any signal, I couldn't contact anyone. I could have come down here, but I didn't exactly know the way. Nor did I wanna bother Red to get directions to fly all the way here just to make a quick phone call.

Shit! My friends, Professor Oak, my mom! They must be worried sick! Gulping, I hesitantly took out my Pokegear…

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Ut oh, is Gold in trouble? Lol. Btw sorry this looks a bit cluttered.. I tried to space out paragraphs and dialogue but for some reason I can't and it looks like a big clutter. Any ideas on how to space it out more? 
> 
> Anyway since I can finally write this story again chapter 10 should be here within the same week. Look forward to it!


	10. Chapter 10

The first thing I saw when I took out my pokegear was the amount of messaged and missed calls that displayed on the screen. I had over fifty messages and missed calls. I slapped my hand to my forehead.

"Shit! Shit shit shit shit shit!" I rubbed my face. Red turned to me looking worried.

"Oh… well it's just I was on this mountain for a few weeks now, so I haven't had the chance to talk to anyone. They must be worried sick…"

Red wore a surprised and feared expression on his face. He must've remembered now that they were the ones who sent me to find him.

I looked through my messages. They were all from Lyra, Silver, Blue, Professor Oak, my mother, and even Calem. I felt a sudden guilt wash over me as I realized that I forgot to contact the people I held closest to me.

Just as I was deciding who to call first, my pokegear rang. Red and I jumped. The pokegear slipped out of my hands and I had to catch it again.

When I caught it, Blue's number showed up. I noticed Red froze at the corner of my eye. Oh. Blue was Red's former rival.

Hesitantly, I answered.

"H-Hello… Blue..?" I stuttered.

"YOU DUMBAAAASSSSS!" Red and I jumped at Blue's sudden outburst.

"Ack! What the hell man, why are you yelling?" I shouted back.

"Why am I yelling? Better question is, where the fuck have you been? You've been gone for nearly a month! You weren't answering any of our goddamn calls! Idiot! You had us worried sick you fucking bastard!" Blue continued shouting.

"Alright alright calm down! Let me explain everything!" I yelled back, hoping he'll hear me.

"Gold? Gold you answered! Thank goodness!" a sobbing, high pitched voice said.

"Lyra…?" I softened a bit. "You're there too?"

"Gold! Thank god you're ok!" Lyra continued.

"You idiot I was fucking worried about you!" Another male voice shouted.

"Silver! Hey man…what's up?" I said nervously.

"Don't you "what's up" me you moron! Our asses were sitting here for so long worried about you! We thought the worse could've happened! We considered going there to look for you!" Silver said angrily.

"You guys… were that worried about me?" I smiled slightly.

"Of course we were!" Lyra shouted. "You were gone for a month in the most dangerous area in the whole Pokémon region! We were regretting letting you go up there!"

"Guys…I-I'm so sorry… I should have contacted you sooner…. I just… lost signal up on the mountain," I felt the heavy guilt eating at me again.

"Well as long as your tiny ass isn't freezing to death up there." Blue said, calming down.

"Wait…did you just say you didn't have signal?" Lyra questioned.

"Yeah, why?"

"Then how were you able to answer the phone?" Blue asked.

"Oh I came back down to the Pokémon Center to heal my Pokémon." I said.

"Alright now that we know you're okay, did you find Red yet?" Blue asked

"What?!" I was surprised by the sudden question.

"Dumbass, did you forget why you risked your life going up there?" Blue snorted.

"Uh, no…" I muttered.

"So did you find him or not?" Lyra asked curiously.

"….."

"Well?" Silver spat.

"Um…" I stuttered.

I looked over at Red. He was leaning in, listening contently.

"Should I tell them?" I whispered over to Red.

Before he could respond, we were surprised by Blue's words.

"You did, didn't you?" he said calmly.

"Ehh!?" I shouted.

"Don't play dumb," Blue said. "Why else would you stay for so long if you're not lost or dead? We figured if you were okay, the reason is because you'd stay for that long is cuz you were with Red. You probably wanted to stay with him until he made a decision whether to come down or not."

"Well….um… yeah…Sorry…I couldn't just leave him here." I admitted.

"WHAAAAATTT?!" Silver and Lyra said at the same time.

"You found the legendary Red?!" Lyra said excitedly.

"He's actually alive?" Silver's shocked voice said.

"Yeah… I was surprised myself…" I muttered. Peering over, I saw Red look away.

"That's amazing! Gold you survived Mt. Silver and managed to find the missing Pokémon champion!" Lyra said, happy for me.

"Ah, well, it's more like he found me and saved me from Mt. Silver…" I admitted.

"What do you mean?" Blue seemed surprised and curious.

"I think it's best if I tell you the guys whole story when I get back down." I decided.

"Alright. Well anyways, where is Red at the moment? Is he with you? I wanna speak to him." Blue said.

"Oh, well um… you see, he can't right now, uh…He's in the bathroom in the Pokémon Center." I lied.

"…"

When Blue didn't answer, I continued.

"Anyways I think it'd be best if you talked to him in person. I can imagine all the stuff you're gonna say, and I don't think that conversation would go as well over the phone." I suggested.

"He's right, Blue." Lyra agreed.

"Alright." Blue sighed. "You're right, but when he comes back from the great beyond, I'm giving him a piece of my mind!"

"Oh god," I heard Silver mutter in the background. Because of his constant bickering with Blue, he knew perfectly well what Red would be in for.

"Hehe… go easy on him, he's not a bad guy." Red looked over as I said that. "Let him have his say in it. Besides, you know deep down you miss him." I half joked.

"Yeah, shut up. Anyways, I'm glad you're ok. I don't know how long you're planning to stay there, so contact us more often, ok? Don't fall into Red's habit of disappearing." Blue ordered.

I saw Red wince at his words.

"N-no I can never do that to you guys. Besides I think I'd go insane if I didn't talk to anyone for a few years, heheh…" I said.

"Yeah that running mouth of yours will never survive on its own." Silver snickered.

"Zip it! Anyways, once again I'm really sorry I didn't contact you. I promise to not worry you again. And tell the Professor I'm ok! And my mom in case I forget." I said

"Alright. You be careful up there, Got it?" Blue said.

"Yeah don't die on me now. Later." Silver said.

"Bye Gold! We'll miss you!" Lyra cheered.

"Bye everyone. I'll talk to you soon." I said. And with that, I hung up.

XXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXX

"I seriously can't believe he found Red," Lyra said as Blue hung up.

"Yeah, it's crazy how Red was still alive all this time." Silver remarked.

Blue just stared down at his Pokegear in silence, with a troubled look on his face.

"Eh? Blue what's wrong?" Lyra titled her head to try meeting Blue's eyes.

"Ah… it's nothing… it's just that…" Blue rubbed his face. "That bastard…. Leaving us in the dust like this… never calling to tell us how he's doing…Five fucking years… I haven't been in contact with him. It always bugged me. Even when I tried to forget it, it was always stuck in the back of my mind. I could never forget about him. Despite how much he aggravated me, deep down I never truly hated him. Even though we were rivals, we honestly did care for each other. Yeah I was mad that he kicked my ass as champion in a matter of minutes…but even though I lost my title, I'm glad it was him and not someone I hated…..I miss him…I…have so much to tell him…" Blue said, still looking down.

Lyra and Silver sat there in shock. Despite being close friends, Blue never let out his inner emotions before. He was always cracking jokes and being a smartass. To see him like this, Lyra and Silver thought how much Red really meant to him.

"You know, despite Gold and I always being rivals, I was worried sick for 'em." Silver suddenly said. "I'd never forgive myself if anything happened to his stupid ass,"

Blue nodded slightly. He was aware that Silver knew how he felt. They were both rivals of famous champions. Despite that, they still worried for their friend and hoped the best for them.

"Hey Blue," Lyra said reaching out and stroking Blue's back. "He found Red, right? So he will return with Red and you guys can be friends again,"

"It's not that easy," Blue responded. "Red is a stubborn little bitch. He does things his way. He's not gonna come down cuz some scrawny kid told him to. In the end, it's his decision."

"But Gold sounded kinda hopeful didn't he?" Lyra pointed out. "We just have to believe in him. Besides, I know Gold longer than all of us. He has this hopeful and friendly aura that draws people to him! Even Silver!" Lyra turned, smiling to Silver.

"…..What are you trying to say?" Silver narrowed his eyes.

"Ahem, anyways, my point is," Lyra continued. "Gold is definitely going to get Red to come down. Then you two can reconcile your lost friendship! And who knows, maybe Red will become our friend too? He already seems to be on good terms with Gold."

Blue stayed silent for a few minutes. He knew Lyra had a point; that Gold was reassuring. Aside from being a strong trainer, another reason he was the right choice to get Red to return was his personality. Indeed, he had a friendly air around him that people of all personalities flocked to him.

"If someone like that seems to be doing well with someone like Red, then he will definitely come down. And you two will definitely be friends again." Lyra finished with a smile.

Blue kept thinking. Lyra sure knew how to make a good point. As always, she was out for her friends again.

"Well then, we'll just have to wait and see." Blue said, looking up.

"Heh. That's the spirit." Silver crossed his arms.

Lyra beamed at Blue's change of tone.

XXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXX

"Whew…" I breathed a heavy sigh of relief after hanging up. It felt odd yet relieving to hear everyone's voices again. I smiled to myself, realizing how lucky I was to have people like them in my life.

I felt someone staring at me and I turned to see Red's blank face looking my way. He had a slight frown as he looked away. When I was about to ask what was bothering him, it hit me.

Red, being on Mt. Silver all this time, had no friends or any human contact. I felt a sudden wash of guilt as he looked down at his gloved hands. It must be overwhelming to him to hear his former rival and friend whom he hasn't talked to in years.

I crawl over to his side and hug him. I felt his body go rigid. Then suddenly arms wrap around my body.

"!"

I looked up and saw Red clinging to me tightly. Feeling sudden warmth I hugged back. For now, I was Red's only friend.

It felt so good that without thinking, I started nuzzling his neck. He moaned in pleasure. His neck was so warm and smooth; I had the strong urge to kiss it but resisted. I didn't want him to feel uncomfortable. I just brushed my nose and lips on his neck and took in his scent. He smelled like nature with a sweet tint. His soft hair rubbed against my cheek. I didn't know why we were doing this, but it felt comforting.

After a few minutes, we laid down on the grass. It was still mid-morning, so we watched the clouds float by in silence. I twitched slightly at this sudden uncomfortable yet familiar setting. But seeing how beautiful it was, I brushed the feeling off.

"Hey, Red?" I said turning my body to him. He turned his neck to look at me. "Um, Just so you know, it may not sound like it, but the others and I aren't forcing you to do anything. I mean, in the end, it really is your decision whether you want to come back down with me or not…And Blue is right, the reason I'm still here is not cuz of my bad ankle-which is healed by now-, it's cuz I don't want to leave you alone. I want to stay by your side as a friend as you make the right decision…" I finished.

I saw a hint of surprise on his face. He turned his attention back up to the sky, trying to hide his emotions. I just smiled and looked up with him.

It didn't feel like it, but hours have passed of us just looking at the sky together. I only knew cuz the sky was turning pink.

"Let's head back up. It'll be dark soon." I said getting up.

Red stood up. I sent out my Flygon and we headed back to the mountain.

It was dark by the time we got back. I was still thinking about today as I sat down by the fire. Red crawled into his sleeping bag and turned away from me. I felt this wash of guilt again, and I quietly walked over to his side.

"Red….About today…I'm sorry," I said.

He turned over to face me; his dead looking eyes became confused.

What happened next shocked me.

"For what?" His low, raspy voice said.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> OMG Red talked! How will Gold react to this? Big turning point in the cave arc! Look forward to the next chapter!


	11. Chapter 11

I felt my jaw hit the floor. It was like someone pressed the pause button on me; I was too shock to move or speak.

"W-w-what?" I managed to say.

Red's eyes went wide and brought his hand to his mouth. He quickly turned around.

"Wait Red!" I said putting my hand on his shoulder. I heard a smack before I realized what happened. Red had slapped my hand away.

"W-wh...W-why?" I whispered and looked at the pink mark on my hand.

Red looked up, with a surprised and guilty face as he looked from my hand and back to me. He frowned and turned over again. Feeling tears develop in my eyes, I walked over to my own sleeping bag and crawled in. I ended up crying myself to sleep for the first time in years.

XXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXX

I was in an open grassland. There were flowers, a pond, and even a small playground in the distance. The sky was blue and the sun was shining. It all looked so peaceful and happy.

Only I was alone. There was no one else around but me. Where was everyone? It's a beautiful day, so why wasn't anyone here? As I looked around, I heard a child's voice.

"Gold?"

"Huh?" I said, whipping my head around. "Who's there?"

"Don't you remember me, Gold? We're best friends!" The voice said cheerfully.

"Where are you? Show yourself!" I yelled.

"Gold….I'm sorry I couldn't keep my promise…" the child's voice suddenly became sad.

"W-what? What promise? What are you talking about? Who are you?!" I kept looking around me but saw no one.

"Gold! I promise we will play together again someday!" the child's voice became happy again.

"Wait! Don't tell me… Are you..?" I said, my eyes going wider at the painful realization.

Before I could say it, the wind was suddenly blowing. Leaves got into my hair and the sound of the swing sets creaked in the background.

"Goodbye Gold! I'll see you later!" The voice said before vanishing completely.

"No! Come back! Please I want to speak with you!" I screamed out, tears running down my face as I ran and ran to try to find the source of the voice.

XXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXX

"Aaaahhh!" I woke up screaming. Breathing heavily, it took me a minute to figure out why I woke up in a panic. Then I realized.

"Ryou…" I whispered, my eyes getting watery.

It has been a few days since I had that nightmare. It has also been a few days since Red spoke to me for the first time. He would train all day and not come back until I have fallen asleep. I despised this awkwardness, but I didn't know how to approach it. I thought about it for days as it ate at me.

I didn't want to lose a possible friendship with Red. Sure, I already had good friends that I treasure dearly. But Red, for some reason, reminded me of something I once loved before. Something I couldn't protect as a kid, and ended up losing. No. Not this time. I'm old enough now; I can look out for the people I care for. I will not let it happen again.

I was gonna speak to Red. I will hear his voice again.

I stayed up all night to wait for Red to go out and train early in the morning. I made sure not to get too sleepy by drinking the extra coffee Red kept in his kitchen. When he finally got up and went out, I waited about ten minutes before following him outside. I walked up from behind as he was training his Pikachu.

"Red!" I shouted a few feet away from him.

He turned around, shocked at my sudden approach.

"Why the hell did you slap me the other day? What did I ever do to you? I was only trying to comfort you as a friend! Why the hell did you push me away?!" I shouted, tears streaming down my eyes.

Red's eyes also became watery. He looked down for a few seconds.

"Answer me!" I cried out.

"I-I'm…S-sorry…" He managed to make out.

For some reason, that didn't make me feel better at all. Anger boiled within me. My hands turned into fists and my pupils shrunk, leaving only solid, gold orbs. When was it the last time I've been this angry?

"You bastard!" I yelled and I lunged at him, not caring that he was half a foot taller than me.

I pushed him to the ground and pinned his arms aside.

"You think a "sorry" will fucking cut it?" I glared down at him.

Red looked like he was trying to say something. Then his eyes changed. In an instant his eyelids lowered. Surprised, I lowered my guard down. Red took this opportunity to push me off him. He firmly gripped my wrists and soon I was pushed back onto the wall of the cave. I cried out at the sudden pain of his grip and being slammed into a rock hard wall.

I went from furious to terrified in seconds as he held my wrists above my head and grabbed my collar with his other hand. He brought my face up closer to his so I can look him right in the eye. I was practically holding my breath when I met that menacing gaze. I don't think I've ever seen him this scary. I tried to move, but I completely underestimated his strength.

"What gives you the right to butt into my goddamn business?" Red's low voice hissed. I didn't know whether I was more shocked at his temper or the fact that he spoke a whole sentence to me.

I just stared back, unable to look away. I couldn't begin to describe how scared I was. The fact that I was short wasn't helping at all.

"You think you can just come uninvited and bring me back? You don't know anything about me!" He pulled my collar forward and slammed me back into the wall again.

I cried out again in pain and at his outburst. I felt hot tears streaming down my face. I felt pathetic, losing my temper and attacking him only to end up at his mercy.

"R-Red…. P-please… stop…" I cried, looking away in shame. "Y-y-you're hurting me…"

Red remained silent and continued glaring at me.

Suddenly, an image flashed in my mind. An image of a smiling, cheerful boy.

"Dammit…why now..?" I muttered as Red's eyebrows rose.

XXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXX

(Flashback)

I was lying on the grass with Ryou after playing all day. We watched the clouds float across the blue sky.

"Hey Gold?" He said turning his head to me.

"Yeah?" I turned to face him.

"When we get older, wanna travel the world with me? I hear you can catch all kinds of Pokémon!" He said smiling.

"Yeah that sounds fun! We could win all the battles too!" I added.

"I wanna be the Pokémon champion! Let's win them all together!" He continued.

"Mhm!" I nodded happily.

"The three of us can be best friends and travel together and catch lotsa Pokémon!" he said with an excited tone.

"It'll be fun!" I said.

"Gold?"

"Yeah?"

He turned to me and held out his pinkie. "We'll always be together, right? Ya promise, Gold?"

I smiled and intertwined his pinkie with mine. "I promise. We'll always be best friends, Ryou."

XXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXX

"W-why… why do I have to suddenly remember you now? Why did you come back? I tried so hard to forget you!" I sobbed, coming back to the present.

Red, still pinning my arms up, looked at me in confusion.

"Red…" I cried. "I know what it's like….to….to lose…someone you love…" I was unable to hold back tears.

As he let his guard down, I broke free from his firm grasp. He held me so tightly that my wrists were throbbing. I fell to my knees on the snow and wept.

"Why did you leave me?! Why…." I continued crying.

Red bent down, putting a hand on my shoulder. I shook it off.

"Go away you asshole!" I shouted at him.

Red suddenly grabbed my shoulders; forcing me to look at him. I struggled against his grasp.

"L-let go!" I snapped.

"Gold! Look at me!" He ordered.

I gasped as he said my name. I looked up.

"What's wrong?" He said persistently.

I just stared at him with my puffy eyes. Unable to find words, I threw myself into his chest. He shushed me before carrying back into the cave. He placed me on the sleeping bag and rubbed my back. After about five minutes, I eased up a bit and looked at him.

"Red….I'm so sorry I lashed out on you… I just got so sensitive and…and…" I looked down.

He rubbed my head affectionately.

"Ah….Ow…" I winced when I realized the pain in my wrists. I was crying so much that I didn't even notice it until now. I looked down at them and cringed. They were bruised and slightly blue from the cold. Great. First my ankle, and now my wrists? Just how strong was this kid?

"I'm sorry…" Red lowered his head so his hat covered his eyes.

Instead of going into the back to get medical supplies like he did with my ankle, what he did this time surprised me. He took my small wrist into his larger hands and brought them to his lips. I froze. Gently, he planted kisses on my bruises.

"R-Red! W-w-hat the hell are you..!" My body felt stiff.

He didn't respond and just continued. I could feel my face exploding in red.

He chuckled and got up. A few seconds later he came back with medical supplies and treated my bruises. I sat there not believing what he just did.

When he was done, he crawled over to me and leaned in towards my ear. I froze.

"I'm sorry I hurt you." He whispered.

"Uhh…." My eyes almost popped out of their sockets. My face and ears were burning.

Then I felt a lick on my earlobe.

"GYAAAAHHH!" I screamed and scampered backwards quickly.

Red laughed.

"You-you-y-!" I stammered. I saw Pikachu and quickly picked him up. I held him up; guarding myself.

"Pika..?" He tilted his head. I shivered and peeked at Red from behind Pikachu.

He just continued laughing.

"No really, I'm sorry, Gold. I don't know my own strength. And… I guess I was just mad about remembering my past again…" He said.

"It's okay, Red." I reassured. "I shouldn't have lashed out on you." I put Pikachu down and went over to hug him. He rested his chin on my head and hugged back.

We sat there for awhile.

Remembering what happened earlier, I groaned.

He looked up.

"It's nothing…" I ushered.

Red looked intently into my eyes. I realized what he wanted.

"Oh, um, I'm so sorry about today. Attacking you and suddenly breaking down like that. Well, um, can we talk about it later? I'm kinda tired today…"

Red looked at me for a few seconds and nodded. It's not like I didn't want to talk about it. Well I don't, but I was just too exhausted to tell him why I cried today. And what I meant when I told him I understood how he felt. But for now, I just wanted to sleep.

Red crawled into his sleeping bag. He stared at me for a bit before turning around.

Sighing, I laid down in my sleeping bag and slept soundly after a long, crazy day.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Whew that was intense! V.V" And what secrets is the cheerful Gold hiding? Find out in the next chapter!


	12. Chapter 12

It has been a few days since that crazy incident after my friends called. He was still treating my badly bruised wrist. And he was still kissing on my injuries. However; Red still didn't know my whole story. I knew he was patiently waiting for me to tell him and that my sudden outburst wasn't just for him to loosen his grip. I decided today was the day I'd tell him. After so many years of trying to forget the painful memories, I'll do it. For Red's sake. For his Mother's sake. And for everyone else's.

After lunchtime, Red sat in front of me, with the fire in between. We sat in silence for a few minutes before I broke it.

"I never talked about it," I said. I just realized this was true.

Red's looked up.

"I tried so hard to forget….I pushed it to the back of my mind," I continued. "I only remembered what I had to do for him, but not what we did together."

He stared intently.

"For too long, I thought I'll never find another friendship like that again. I thought I'll never be happy again…" I felt tears forming in my eyes.

Red looked a bit scared for what was coming.

"After he died, I was left in the dust. My leader, my only friend, was gone. I felt so scared and lonely without him by my side. After moving, Lyra helped me return to the person he made me. I'm forever grateful, but I haven't told her or anyone. I wanted to when the time was right. I never found the right time though. I was too scared to remember my past. So, I tried to forget about it all these years. But today, you'll be the first to hear about it, Red." I finished.

Red looked deeply into my eyes and nodded slowly. After taking a deep breath, I began.

*Flashback*

I was reading a picture book alone under the tree. I was in my local park, and it was a quiet, peaceful day. I wanted to play with the other kids, but I wasn't brave enough to approach them. So as always, I sat in the corner and read. I heard footsteps approach me.

"Whatcha readin?" said a voice.

I looked up to see a boy around my age. He had dark purple hair and brown eyes. He had a curious, friendly face that somehow drew me to him.

"Um….nothin.." I hesitantly responded.

"Can I read it with you?" He asked.

"Uh…sure..." I said. I placed the book so one half rested on his lap.

After we finished, he got up.

"Wanna go play now?" He asked and pointed to the playground.

"O-ok…" I said.

After playing various games, by the end of the day we were laughing.

"I had fun!" He said.

"Uh, me too," I said.

"Oh by the way, my name is Ryou!" He said with a big smile. "What's yours?"

"G-Gold," I said shyly.

"Nice to meet you Gold! Um.. so do you wanna be friends?" He scratched his cheek with his forefinger nervously.

"Uh…Mhm!" I smiled and nodded.

"Okay!" He said, going back to his playful demeanor. "We'll play together from now on, right?"

"Mhm..!" I smiled and nodded again.

"Yay! See you later, Gold!" He said and ran off to a woman with the same dark purple hair.

"Gold, are you done playing?" I heard my mom call. "It's getting late so let's go home, okay?"

"Okay mommy." I ran to her and looked back. I saw Ryou looking back too, smiling. He waved at me. I smiled and waved back.

"Mommy! I made a new friend today!" I said excitedly, looking up at my mother.

"Oh really? Tell me about it!" She seemed excited too since I never really played with the other kids.

I went on and on telling her about how he approached me and ended up playing all day at the park. She was happy that I finally made a friend.

From then on, I would often see Ryou at the park. We even went to the same school. We would talk about all different things. We'd play with each other til we were out of breath from laughter. He'd stay over at my house to play video games and talk about what we wanted to do. He taught me the wonders of Pokémon. For the first time, I was truly happy. I was living a normal childhood instead of hiding in my shell.

I remember it like it was yesterday. It was a bright, sunny day. The weather completely contradicted the despair that would fall upon me later. This wasn't a movie, where it rains when something bad happens. No. It was bright and peaceful, so I never saw it coming.

We were playing catch on the sidewalk. My mom went in to get us drinks. We were laughing without a care in the world. I suddenly threw the ball a bit too far for him to reach. I didn't think a simple throw would become the biggest regret of my life. It went over his head and into the street, and he casually decided to chase after it.

"Ooops, sorry!" I called out.

"It's ok I'll get it!" He called out.

"Wait Ryou don't its dangerous!" I yelled.

But it was too late. It all happened in a blur. I remember screaming his name. My mom just walked back out from getting drinks. I heard her scream and shattering cups when she came out.

I ran over to his side, horrified at the sight. There was blood dripping from his mouth and his abdomen. He was severely injured. I picked him up and cradled him in my arms. Soon, people were peeking outside their windows.

"Ryou! Ryou! Please wake up!" I cried, tears forming in my eyes.

Slowly, he opened his eyes. But they looked like they were fading away.

"…Hey…Gold…" He managed a weak smile.

"Ryou! Please hang on!" I cried.

"I'm sorry, Gold…I shouldn't have…. Run off…" He said.

"No! I'm sorry! It's my fault! It's all my fault!" I sobbed.

"We can still play together, right…?" He smiled, with a glint of hope in his eyes.

"What? Of course we can!" I said.

"And… we can go on that journey together, right?" He said.

"Yeah of course! We'll have….so much fun…" I winced at those words.

I just looked at him with flooded eyes as he continued.

"We'll always be best friends…Gold…" He feebly held out his pinky.

More tears were flowing as I looked at him.

"Yes….We'll always…hic...be…best…friends…Ry…" I said, firmly grasping his pinky with mine, as if to cling to any last hope we had left.

But as I said those words, he slowly closed his eyes. No matter how much I called, he never opened them again.

I cried, tears hitting his clothes. "Please don't go" I looked down in defeat and wept. I heard police sirens in the distance. I looked up into the clear, blue sky, expecting rain to fall.

"Everything after the hit and run is a clouded memory. I don't even remember his family's reaction or about them in general. My mother told me that they moved away to somewhere in Kanto. After months of my depression and withdrawal, my mom decided it was best that we move. I needed a fresh start, I needed to move on and make new moved to New Bark Town. As the sign says, it was the where the Winds of New Beginning Blow. I remember getting out of the moving truck that day, and a soft breeze hit my face. I had a feeling that maybe things will change. And it did. The neighbors were friendly, and that's where I met Lyra.

My mother was receiving help from the movers to unload our stuff. Some neighbors came to greet us. While she was talking, a little girl in overalls and brown pigtails saw me and walked over.

"Hi! I'm Lyra! I live next door. Are you new here? What's your name?" She asked.

I clung to my mom's leg.

"…Gold." I muttered.

"Hi Gold! Wanna be friends?" she beamed.

I just frowned. I tugged mom's leg and asked quietly that I wanted to go into my room. I don't remember much after except Lyra's confused face when I looked back.

One morning a few days later I was wrapped in a blanket playing video games. I could smell breakfast cooking downstairs. Despite my grumbling stomach, I refused to come down.

"Gold! Breakfast!" she called.

I didn't answer.

After a few minutes I heard footsteps. I ignored them and continued playing.

"Gold?" My mother walked in. "Come down sweetheart, I made your favorite."

"I'm not hungry," I mumbled. My stomach growled right after I said that. I pouted.

She giggled. "You have to eat something Gold. Besides I have a surprise for you."

I raised an eyebrow.

"Don't be afraid just come with me." She took my hand and led me downstairs.

I didn't know what kind of surprise she meant, but I wasn't expecting another kid.

"Hi Gold! Remember me?" she beamed. It was Lyra, the girl in overalls from the other day. I stopped in my tracks.

"Gold its ok, she's nice." My mother rubbed my head soothingly.

"Go away! I don't want another friend after Ryou!" I shouted.

"Huh? Ryou?" Lyra tilted her head.

Instead of yelling at me, my mother bent down and whispered, "I'm sorry for making you come out here. You weren't ready. If you want to play with the neighborhood kids its up to you. I just don't want you to be locked in your room all the time."

I just looked down at my feet, clenching my fists with tears in my eyes.

Lyra didn't say anything for a few minutes. Then she walked up to me and asked me a question that would change our relationship.

"Do you like Pokémon, Gold?"

I looked up, surprised.

"Mhm," I smiled.

*Flashback end*

Thanks to her, over time I was able to smile and laugh again. I looked forward to the smell of breakfast each morning and seeing her downstairs. Maybe this was a gift from him. He wanted me to be happy, and I knew that deep down. "

Upon finishing my story, tears fell from my eyes. Red looked at me sympathetically.

"I doubt Lyra remembers me shouting his name now. But you see, Red? I know…what it's like… to lose the one you love…" I choked in between words.

Red came over and hugged me tight, rubbing my back soothingly. It made me sob even more.

"I…never… got to...apologize… to…" I cried. "I'm sorry …"

Red suddenly stopped stroking my back. He held my shoulders and made me look at him.

"What did you say his name was?" Red asked slowly.

"Ryou." I sniffed.

A look of horror and shock filled his usually impassive face.

"What's wrong?" I asked.

"That was…. the name of my younger brother..." He said slowly.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Omg twist! Did I get you or did you predict it? XP Look forward to the next chapter!


	13. Chapter 13

"W-w-what..?" I stuttered looking horrified.

Red looked back at me with the same expression.

"My younger brother Ryou got hit by a car …" He paused. "My mother and I moved to Pallet Town soon after…."

"W-w-wh..." I couldn't breathe. No. It's not possible.

"I made myself forget, but I remember he had a close friend." Red continued. "He always spoke of traveling together. So I set out on a journey … and carried out our dream."

I sat there in utter shock. Ryou's older brother…. Was the legendary Kanto champion Red?

"N-n-no….it can't be…" I stuttered. They didn't look alike! I never would have guessed!

"W-wait a minute… Red…when I talked to your mother… I remember she looked familiar. I think she had his hair." I mentioned.

Red nodded.

Now it all made sense. But at the time, I couldn't quite put my finger on it. Plus I was too focused on the mission to find Red, so I brushed it off.

We stood there in shock, staring at each other with wide eyes. Then I crashed into him again, sobbing.

"Red! It's my fault! I'm so sorry! I killed him! It's my fault" I cried into his chest.

At first Red sat still; not hugging back. Then I was suddenly pushed back against the sleeping bag with my arms pinned to my sides.

"W-wh-a..?" I stared at him wide eyed.

At first I couldn't see his expression because his hat covered his face. Then he looked at me with frustration.

"You…" His deep voice said. I felt his grip tighten. I cried out in pain; my bruises were not fully healed from last time.

I gulped.

"You….killed….my…my…" Red didn't finish his sentence. His tears drip down to my clothes. I tried to move, but I forgot how strong he was. If he wanted to beat the crap out of me, I deserved it.

Instead, he broke down.

"Ryou… it's my fault… I wasn't there for you at the time…" He said out loud. He tried his best not to cry as much, but to no avail.

"No Red it's my fault!" I cried out. "I didn't stop him in time! If…I wasn't such a stupid kid…."

Red softened his grip. I used the opportunity to sit back up.

Red ignored it and cried into his gloved hands. He took off his hat and gripped his hair.

"Dammit!" I suddenly cried out. "Why! Why did he have to go? Why couldn't I protect him? Who cares about being the champion? If he's not here its fucking pointless! Everything is fucking pointless!" I slammed my fists to the ground repeatedly and threw my hat across the cave.

"Gold…" He looked up. I just cried out as loud as I could.

"GOLD!" He shouted. Surprised, I stopped and looked over at him. He crawled over and hugged me tight.

"Red?" I managed to say.

We sat there holding each other; crying.

I didn't know how much time had passed. By nightfall, our sobs ceased. He finally let go of me and looked into my puffy eyes.

"I'm sorry…. it's no one's fault here." He said. "He wouldn't want us to be upset like this. He'd want us to be happy."

I suddenly realized he was right. We ventured off into a journey, like he always wanted. But it wasn't for his own sake. He wanted us to live our lives the way we wanted.

"Yeah…I nodded, wiping my tears. I stroked Red's face. He relaxed into my palm. We sat there, looking into each other's eyes; mixed with sadness and happiness.

He leaned in close to me till our foreheads touched. He gently ran his fingers through my hair.

"Gold," He whispered.

"Hmm?" I hummed.

"Let's leave. Tomorrow." He said.

I leaned back and stared at him in shock.

"R-really? You mean it?"

He nodded.

"Thank you…. for everything." Red lifted my chin and kissed my forehead. I heard the sincere gratefulness in his voice.

"Of course, Red." I said. We crawled into the sleeping bag. I snuggled into his chest while he rested his chin atop my head. Not long after, we fell asleep.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Omg will Red really come back to our world? Hopefully their bond will continue growing~


	14. Chapter 14

I don't remember the last time I slept so well. I woke up and realized Red and I were still holding each other. His body heat was soothing; it lulled me to sleep last night.

I heard a groan. I smiled up at him.

"Morning," I whispered, running my hand through his hair.

He smiled and kissed my cheek. As we gazed into each other's eyes, he crawled onto me and nuzzled my neck.

"Ah! Mmf…" I shut my mouth. Well that was sudden. I couldn't hold in my gasps as he started pecking my neck.

"Red..!" I yelped. He chuckled in between breaths.

"Uh-uh-umm Red-I-I think we should, uh, get ready to leave…" I stuttered as he continued.

"Mmm... it's too early," He whined in a playful tone. "We can stay like this for a little longer, hm?" He whispered in my ear.

"W-w-wait! H-hey!" I blushed like crazy and my heart pounded rapidly. I could tell Red was enjoying my reaction.

He laughed and hugged me. I relaxed and hugged back.

After resting for a bit more, we decided to get ready to leave. It was only 9:10 now, so we had plenty of time. After showering and eating breakfast, we looked around the cave. I stared at it with my hands on my hips.

"So what are we gonna do with all this stuff? You obviously can't bring all of it back," I rubbed my forehead, remembering the porta potty in here.

At first he looked around. Then he shrugged.

"Hey I have an idea! Why don't we have one of our Pokémon carry the supplies?" I suggested.

Red tilted his head.

"Well you and I could ride on my Flygon, and maybe you can have your Charizard carry the food, first aid kits, and blankets?" I just assumed Charizard would be physically stronger than Flygon.

Touching his chin, Red nodded. I helped wrap the food, medical supplies, and blankets in the sleeping bags and rolled them up. Surprisingly, it wasn't heavy. We decided to leave the kitchen utensils behind, since Red was going home to his home cooked meals anyways. And forget about that porta potty. Some wandering trainer can just take a pit stop in the cave if they came across it.

"Well that's everything, I guess." I said clasping my hands together. "You ready to go, Red?" I turned to him. I wanted to make sure he was truly ready to return after so many years.

Red hesitated then nodded. I could tell he was serious. I felt a wave of relief.

I called out my Flygon while he called out Charizard. We set the supplies up on his back and sat on Flygon.

"This is it…" I said. "Don't worry; I'll be with you, Red." I turned to look at him and gave him a reassuring smile. He looked relaxed.

"Alrighty then! Go Flygon!" I called and she cried out. Red didn't utter a word but Charizard seemed to cry out in agreement right after Flygon. With that, we took off.

"Oh crap I better call them or else they won't know we're coming," I took out my pokegear. I saw Red nod from the corner of my eye. Glad he's okay with it. I dialed Professor Oak's number first.

"Hello? Gold! My goodness, I've been worried! You should have called sooner!" Oak exclaimed.

"Uh, yeah I apologize sir," I said sheepishly. "I did talk to your grandson and our friends about a week ago though,"

"Ah yes Blue told me of the last phone call and how you're still in Mt. Silver. I was relieved to know you were alright. You really gave us a scare," He said.

"I'm sorry, but, Professor I called to tell you I'm on my way back," I said nervously.

"Really?!" The older man's voice lit up. "I'm glad you're leaving such a dangerous place. I sincerely apologize for sending you on such a mission." He said with guilt.

"No, its fine sir. But, speaking of the mission…" I tried to say it, but I couldn't. Especially when Red was sitting right behind me.

"W-what? Gold, don't tell me…." I could almost see the professor's face go white as he said that.

"Y-yes sir. I'm not coming back alone." I didn't feel like being completely blunt.

"My goodness! This is splendid! Well done Gold! I was right to send you on this errand. Well we can discuss all this further when we meet up. Let's meet in front of the lab. I will gather everyone." He said.

"Yes, well thank you. I'll see you in a few hours." I hung up, almost too quickly. I sighed in relief.

I slowly turned around to look at Red. He was looking down; his hat covering his eyes. I turned back around.

"I'm sorry if that was a little awkward for you. I know this must be a hard decision. But it'll be ok, like I said I'll be by your side. And don't worry; they're not mad at you or anything. They'll just be happy to see you again, Red." I said, looking straight ahead into the clouds.

He didn't respond, but I felt the tension behind me lighten up. I was glad I was able to do at least that.

We flew the rest of the way in silence. Once we passed the gate and entered Viridian City, I spoke.

"Wonder if it looks different to you. But you know, Blue became the gym leader here," I said.

Red looked up a bit.

"Um, we're almost there. Do you need to rest for a moment? I know you must be nervous." I said in a slightly awkward tone.

Red thought for a moment. Then he nodded.

I ordered Flygon to fly us down as Red did with Charizard. We returned our Pokémon and walked into the city's Pokémon center.

After healing our Pokémon and using the bathroom, Red sat down on one of the benches. I slowly sat beside him.

His face was in his hand. I rubbed his back reassuringly and rested my head on his shoulder.

"It'll be okay, I promise Red." I whispered in his neck. Without thinking, I took his hand. He looked up suddenly, tears enveloping in his eyes. It pained me to see him cry.

I squeezed his hand and smiled for him. He looked back with nervous eyes. I continued rubbing his back and whispered to him. I tried my best to help him ignore the people coming in and out of the Pokémon center.

"You ready to go?" I said, making him look into my eyes.

Red nodded.

We took out our Pokémon once again and flew to Pallet Town. Not that it wasn't terribly far, we just didn't want to keep the others waiting. Plus Red's cave supplies would be a drag to carry along.

As Pallet Town came into view, I turned to notice Red's expression. His eyes were a bit wide and his mouth hanged open. Seeing his hometown after so many years must be overwhelming.

Soon, we saw Professor Oak, Blue, Lyra, Silver, and Red's mother waving at us. I waved back.

I felt Red tense up behind me.

We landed a few meters away from them to return our Pokémon. Red backed away a bit. I guess he wanted me to greet everyone first, so it'll be easier for him. Soon the others were running towards us.

"GOOOOOLLLLLLLLLLDDDD!" Lyra cried out. She slammed into me and sobbed.

"You idiot!" She cried.

"H-hey Ly-"

"Dumbass!" Silver crashed into me and Lyra. I looked at him in surprise. I don't think I've ever seen Silver display such a sign of affection.

"Guys! I'm sorry!" I said as I hugged them. I suddenly felt a punch on my shoulder.

"Ow! What the hell?" I broke the hug and looked up. Blue was scowling at me.

"You fucking moron!" he said and hugged me next. I stood there feeling a bit guilty and hugged him back.

When they were done greeting and scolding me, Professor Oak came up to us.

"Um, Gold, before we get to the point, there's someone here to see you. I didn't tell you since they wanted it to be a surprise." Professor Oak said.

Walking towards us was someone I never expected to see.

"C-Calem?" I said, mouth hanging open.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Woohoo! Our boy Calem is here!


	15. Chapter 15

I stood there with my mouth hanging open as Calem approached me.

"The famous Johto Champion and hero. Nice to finally meet you in person, Pokémon Trainer Gold." Calem finished with a smile.

"C-Calem…?" I stuttered. He laughed and opened his arms. I crashed into him.

"It's good to finally meet you, man!" I said.

He laughed and hugged back.

"What are you doing here?" I asked, smiling.

"I was worried about you, so I decided to go over to Johto. I was warned by Professor Oak that Mt. Silver is dangerous and suggested that I wait here for you,"

"You came all the way from Kalos for me?" I asked, blushing.

"Of course, we're friends, aren't we?" Calem smiled gently.

"Oh right, guys, this is my online friend from Kalos, Calem. Calem, these are my friends: Lyra, Silver, and Blue." I introduced.

"Nice to meet you guys." He bowed. "Gold has told me so much about you all."

Silver and Blue nodded towards Calem.

"Nice to meet you too!" Lyra said.

"Oh, did he, now?" Blue smirked. He turned to me. "You love us that much, eh?"

Don't do that it's embarrassing!" I stuttered.

"He does love us!" Lyra practically jumped on me for a hug.

"H-hey! Get off!" I said, almost losing balance. Silver shook his head.

"Wow you're all as funny as you said," Calem said. "I'm really am glad to have finally met you, Gold. I hope we can all be good friends."

He was a well-mannered guy. I knew he was going to be a pleasure to have around.

"Of course!" Lyra's high pitched voice snapped me out of my thoughts. "You're more than welcome in our little circle!" I sighed, hoping the mild mannered Calem can keep up with her peppy attitude. I chuckled at the thought.

"I'm glad, thank you Lyra," Calem responded.

"Um, Gold, is that him?" Lyra nodded toward a direction past us.

We all turned around to see Red in the distance.

Oh shit. I was so engaged with my reunion that I completely forgot Red was here. He's been watching us from afar, probably waiting for me to greet everyone.

"Red… oh my…" We heard his mother say. We just noticed her eyes tearing up. He slowly walked to his her. The rest of us couldn't help but stare at the scene.

When they were face to face, I noticed he was holding an envelope. That must be the letter she wrote to him.

"Mother…." Red quietly spoke, looking at her with guilty eyes. She broke down and hugged him. He only stood stiff at first.

"Welcome home, Red," She sobbed into him.

Sighing in relief he hugged her back.

"I'm sorry," He whispered. She hugged him tighter.

The rest of us decided to back away and give them some space. We stood there in awkward silence at first. Seeing the intimate moment only made us more emotional and we all ended up hugging again.

We stood there for a bit, exchanging jokes and adventure stories. A few meters away from us, Red's mother was excitedly speaking with her son after so many years. I noticed Blue was also silently watching them. Oh crap. Red's mother is not the only one who missed him. I saw Blue's eyebrows knit together as Red glanced over at our side.

"Uh," I whipped my head from Blue to Red.

Blue didn't say anything, but his troubled face told me he will let them talk first. Understanding his facial expression, I nodded. We focused back to our circle with Silver, Calem, and Lyra blabbing away as usual.

Red and his mother came up to us after catching up a bit.

"Why don't you come in for some tea?" Oak said to Red's mother. He turned to us. "You youngsters can stay out here and come back into the lab when you're ready."

After they went inside, I suddenly remembered.

"Oh I forgot!" I said turning to Red. "Red these are my friends, Lyra, Silver, and Calem! Guys this is Red!"

Red cautiously looked over at the three.

"Hi there Mr. Champion! Name's Lyra!" Lyra said with a grin on her face.

"A pleasure." Silver nodded towards him.

"It's an honor to meet another champion. My name's Calem." Calem bowed slightly.

Red nodded slightly.

"Wow he really doesn't ta-," Me and Silver nudged Lyra's sides before she could finish.

"Lyra!" Silver and I yelped, freaked out she would be that blunt.

Red shook his head, indicating he didn't take it offensively.

"You really are stupid, aren't you?" Silver said rubbing his temples.

"I'm only being friendly," Lyra pouted.

"Since when is pointing that out so casually friendly?" Silver raised an eyebrow to her.

"Guys! Its fine geez," I said. Calem laughed.

I turned to Red. "Um, yeah sorry about that,"

"The hell is that supposed to mean?" Silver snarled.

"Quit being a meany!" Lyra pouted and crossed her arms.

"What are you five?" I snapped.

Instead of looking intimidated or uninterested, Red was chuckling to himself. Maybe, he'll fit into our group just fine.

I glanced over at Blue whose mouth was twitching. He was a good meter away from us. He was watching us from a short distance, nervous that his former rival and best friend was in person again. After a few seconds of no words but awkward eye contact between the two, he walked over to Red.

"Uh, we'll leave you two alone," Lyra waved her hand and walked backwards, pulling me and Silver with her. Calem on the other hand was confused. Oh right. He doesn't know the situation. I pulled him along with us.

As we slowly walked away, Lyra and I grabbed Silver and Calem and we hid behind a bush.

"What the fuck are you two doing?" Silver said in a loud whisper.

"Shh!" Lyra and I shushed in unison.

"Um guys, isn't this spying?" Calem nervously scratched his finger on his face.

"Sure is! And we wanna see what happens!" Lyra beamed, peeking over the push.

"Yeah, they're best friends and rivals who haven't seen each other in years," I briefly explained the situation to Calem.

"You guys are idiots…" Silver muttered.

"SSHHH!" Lyra and I repeated. Silver groaned.

"Um, Red I…" Blue tried to initiate but didn't seem to know how to begin. He was looking to the side toying with his fingers.

"I'm sorry Blue," Red said quietly. Blue's head snapped up, his eyes wide.

"I didn't contact you…I felt guilty for stripping your title so quickly…But what I truly wanted… was to be your friend…" Red's frowned.

"You fucking idiot!" Tears streamed down Blue's face.

Lyra and I watched with our mouths hanging open. Even Silver seemed surprised. In all our years of friendship we've never seen Blue cry.

Blue threw himself around Red. Red was taken aback but hugged back.

"Idiot! I'm the one who should say sorry! All I ever cared about was beating you! I never realized how much our friendship meant to me 'til you disappeared!" he sobbed.

"Blue," Red closed his eyes and stroked Blue's back.

"Stop apologizing," He continued sobbing into Red.

"We're here now, let's put it all behind us," Red whispered.

Blue looked up and smiled genuinely for the first time.

"He's right though," Silver whispered. Lyra, Calem and I glanced at Silver in shock.

"They have to put the past behind them and move on with their lives. Have the friendship they never truly got to have."

Lyra and I gaped at him.

"Wow I didn't know you could be so deep Silver!" Lyra said with a goofy smile.

"S-shut up!" Silver said a little too loud.

"Hey! What the hell are you guys doing over there?!" Blue shouted to us. Red's eyes went wide when he noticed us.

"Shit!" I blurted out.

"Nice going Silver!" Lyra lowered her eyebrows.

"Hey this was your idea!" Silver spat back.

"Um guys? We need to get out of here!" Calem nodded towards Blue who was angrily walking towards us.

"AAH!" Lyra and I yelled. We all jumped out from behind the bush and dashed back into Professor Oak's lab.

The other scientists looked up in shock as we burst in through the doors.

"Is everything alright?" Oak said confused when we walked in panting.

"Most definitely not! These punks were spying!" Blue said as he walked in, face flushed with anger and embarrassment. I smiled seeing Blue back to his old self. Red walked up from behind him; rubbing his forehead.

Professor Oak laughed and clasped his hands together. "Okay, now that everyone is here, let's go back and discuss everything that's happened so far."

Blue sweat dropped; annoyed that Oak didn't take him seriously. Lyra and I giggled and followed Oak to the back.

We sat in the back room, filling all the couches and chairs. Red sat next to his mother to our left. Silver sat on the edge of the big couch with Lyra next to him. I sat between Lyra and Calem. Professor Oak sat across from us and Blue sat in a backwards chair to our right next to his grandfather. It was kind of bizarre to see everyone here. I remember the last time I sat here was only with Oak, Silver, Lyra, and Blue. Now we have an old champion, his mother, and a friend I never met in person. I noticed the picture of Oak, Blue and Red was moved to a drawer in the back behind Oak. Looking at it, I could not believe I actually completed my mission. I stared at the picture while everyone else was exchanging side conversations with the person next to them. I shifted awkwardly in my spot when I felt a stare in my direction.

I turn slightly to my left and met solid, red orbs looking at me. His mother didn't seem to notice; she was speaking with Oak. Lyra was yapping away at Silver. Even Blue and Calem seemed to be engaged in their own little conversation. Glad to know Calem was getting along with Blue.

Only Red and I remained silent. I still had a lot on my mind. Red on the other hand, was just being Red.

I blushed as he continued staring at me. I couldn't turn away and everyone else was talking. Why was he staring at me? Even though we've gotten closer and know each other's past, it was still very hard to read him.

"Right, Gold?"

"WAH!" I yelped at Calem's voice as he nudged me a bit too hard.

"Dude, what's your problem?" Blue said sarcastically. "You've been starin' off into space this whole time."

"What? I uh, was just thinking. I'm sorry what did you say, Calem?" I said, blinking rapidly and rubbing my temples. I could feel Red's stare still looming over at my side.

He chuckled. "I said, right that you caught many Pokémon? Cuz I was just talking to Blue about Kalos and all the Pokémon we have there! You and your friends got a long way to go." He said.

"That's right!" Professor Oak turned to us and we looked to his side. "About why I gathered you all here. But first, I'd like to thank you Gold. We would." He turned to Red's mother.

"Gold, thank you so much. I don't know what to say. My baby is back home again." She smiled. Red tipped his hat down.

"I apologize for making you do this dangerous task. Maybe it was me being senile, but I promise to never send any child on such a dangerous mission again." He bowed his head.

"Yeah you did it Gold, we're all proud of you," Lyra patted my back.

"It was nothing, I wanted to do this."

After a brief silence Professor Oak spoke again.

"As you may know, Red and Blue here only traveled through Kanto. Gold and his friends have traveled through Johto and Kanto. However, there are many other regions for you all to explore."

"Really? We can really travel the elsewhere?" Lyra beamed.

"If you'd like to continue your journey, there are limited edition tickets to the SS Aqua going to Kalos. Its set to leave in two months. Its sold out, but I managed to get a few. Take it as a gift Gold, for completing you mission." He handed me an envelope.

"Wow, thank you sir." I said. I opened there were a couple tickets, not just one.

"Long journeys are safer and much more fun with friends you trust."

"This is so cool! We get to see the famous region Kalos!" Lyra said.

"It would be great if you guys can come. There's a beautiful city called Lumiose City and many other Pokemon you probably haven't seen before, namely fairy types." Calem smiled.

"Well," Blue spoke. "If you include me too, then I might as well retire as Viridian's gym leader. No use having a leader who's always out," He looked down in shame.

"It's alright Blue. I know you were never truly satisfied with a job as a gym leader. Join your friends, Blue. Start a new adventure. It doesn't have to end with just championship and gym leader status." Oak put a hand on his grandson's shoulder affectionately.

Blue looked up. "Alright. I'll go, but not before finding a new leader." We were happy that Blue was growing up and taking responsibility for his actions. "But I haven't heard your guys' responses yet." He turned to us.

We all exchanged excited glances. Lastly, I met eyes with Red. Even he had a hint of excitement in his eyes. With that, I already knew his answer. I couldn't help but smile back.

"We'll go." I said confidently.

"I'm always looking forward to more adventures!" Lyra said proudly.

"Eh, what the heck. Got nothing better to do anyways." Silver leaned back and crossed his arms, smiling. What a tsundere.

"Same," Blue said. "But I really want to find a replacement gym leader. I'll try to find one before the deadline."

"That's fine. Seems like you guys have been traveling a lot anyways. Plus, I would love to stay and explore Johto." Calem agreed.

"Yeah we're exhausted. And I can't imagine how Red and Gold are feeling." Lyra yawned.

It was true. As much as I'd love to go on more adventures, I really could use the rest now. Blue needed time to find a replacement. Red needed to catch up with his mother. And we can use this time to show Calem around.

"That's a great idea, actually. When the time comes, you can all gather at my lab and I will tell you more. Until then, get plenty of rest. You have a long journey ahead of you." Professor Oak concluded.

After we left, we stood outside the lab and talked about what the journey will be like.

"You sure you don't want to stay over at my place, Gold? It's pretty late to travel back to Johto." Red's mother suddenly asked. "You really helped a lot. I'd like to thank you in any way I can."

I felt extremely uneasy. This was the mother of my best friend whom I felt responsible for dying.

"No, ma'am. I'm fine, really. Plus, you and Red need some time alone after all these years." I said, avoiding her gaze.

"Well I guess you're right. But once again, thank you so much for your help Gold. Please allow me to return the favor one day. You went to such great lengths for my son and me, yet you hardly know us." She bowed, which made me feel guiltier.

"It was no trouble." I waved my hands.

She smiled gently. "Well, I guess it's getting pretty late. Red and I will head back home. You're welcome over anytime. Thank you so much." She came up to me and hugged me. I couldn't bring myself to hug back; and only replied with a quiet, "you're welcome".

After parting from the hug, I turned to Red. I wasn't sure what to say, but he approached me first.

"Um…" I didn't know what to say so I stuttered like an idiot; looking at the ground.

"Gold," His low voice caused my head to snap up. Before I knew it, I was being hugged tight.

"Thank you. Whenever you're ready, too." He whispered in my ear. I was so stunned by him that I couldn't respond. After coming to my senses, I hugged him back.

"You're welcome, R-Red.".

We broke the hug after a few minutes and stood there, smiling at each other.

"Take care of your mother, okay?" I said. He nodded.

"Well then, let's go back home," Silver said.

"Party at Gold's house!" Lyra cheered, suddenly changing the mood.

"Wait what?!" I whipped my head around to face her.

Blue chuckled. "Hey why not?"

"I could use some freshening up," Silver said.

"That sounds like fun!" Calem smiled.

"Calem? You too?!" I was still confused to this sudden suggestion. From the corner of my eye I saw Red chuckle.

"Well you kids have fun! Goodnight!" Red's mother waved as she walked off. Red smiled at me before turning around to follow her.

"Wait what the heck? What do you guys mean by 'party'?" I asked.

"It's ok I already talked to your mom about it. Besides it's to celebrate your successful mission and returning home safely!" Lyra smiled widely.

"You do realize you just ruined the surprise, right?" Silver facepalmed. I couldn't believe someone like him and Blue would be in on this.

Lyra giggled. "I think he's already surprised enough. Just look at his cute bulging eyes!"

I flustered at those words. "Erggh..." But I couldn't protest. Deep down I was excited to have fun with everyone like old times. Especially with Calem joining.

"Alright let's go," I gave in and took out my pokeball.

"Alrighty! Let's goooo!" Lyra fist pumped.

"That's the spirit, Gold." Calem smiled.

Blue patted my back and took out his pokeball as well.

"Where are we going, again?" Calem asked.

"Oh right. You don't know Kanto like we do. We're going to Saffron City to catch the Magnet Train to Goldenrod and from there we fly to New Bark Town. We can't use Fly to go to other regions." Blue responded.

"I see. I heard about the famous train that was known to be the fastest around, faster than any Pokémon so far," Calem said.

"Yeah, it's pretty convenient," Silver added.

"It sure is! Shall we go then?" Lyra said. From there we used Fly to Saffron City. Calem was fascinated by the train ride and how fast it went. I was happy to see he was already taking a liking to the Kanto region. I hope he'll get to explore it and Johto as much as possible.

By the time we got to New Bark Town, the sun had set. Lyra grabbed my arm and pulled me to my house and opened the door.

"Surprise!" Lyra, my mother, Professor Elm, and a few neighbors said. There was cake and a few other snacks and desserts set out on the table. I also noticed some of my favorites of mom's dishes were displayed.

"Wow thanks you guys!" I was a bit surprised. "This feels more like a birthday party with the surprise and cake," I joked.

"Oh Gold I was so worried! You went on such a dangerous mission, but you succeeded! I'm glad you're safe!" My mother hugged me.

"Hey mom," I said kind of embarrassed. Everyone laughed.

"Alright party time!" Lyra said. She turned on the music and we all started talking and enjoying ourselves. I told them my story of my journey on Mt. Silver (minus the close and embarrassing moments with Red). My friends were all intrigued of what I went through just to find the legendary champion, especially Blue. Calem spoke of his adventures to us in Kalos; giving us a heads up of what's to come. Calem, though calm and collected was laughing and joking with the rest of us. I admired how he was able to keep up with Lyra's overeager personality and Silver and Blue's smart ass personalities. After the party, everyone went home, and I let Calem stay the night.

"You have amazing friends, Gold. You're a pretty lucky guy," Calem spoke from the futon.

We were sitting in my room talking and playing with Sylveon who popped out of her pokeball.

I stroked Sylveon's back. "Heh I guess,"

"I really am glad to finally meet you in person. I'm glad I fit in, too." He looked at Sylveon with a relieved smile.

"Nah, these guys are friendly especially Lyra. I knew you'd fit right in." I encouraged him.

"Well most importantly I'm glad you're back safe too. I was getting worried, so I thought it would be the best time to surprise you."

"Oh really? Man, I'm sorry I got distracted and lost signal for a while. You should've seen the phone call I had with Blue and the others after not talking to them for a month." I laughed at the now funny memory. We both laughed knowing it was so like him.

After talking some more, we finally decided to call it a night. I fell asleep quickly after a long day, but not before thinking about everything that has happened so far. I almost froze to death, found Red, brought him back, met Calem and ended it with a welcome back party. But it was only the beginning, for there was a long adventure waiting ahead of us.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Finally! Red's back home and everything is all hunky dory. Or is it?


	16. Chapter 16

XXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXX

I was in an open grassland. It was the same area as before, with the pond and small playground. Only this time, I wasn't alone. Tears flooded my eyes when I saw who was in front of me.

"You grew up, Gold."

At first, I was too shocked for words. Then I fell to my knees in front of him, bawling.

"Please don't cry," He said and reached out to help wipe my tears. My soaked, puffy eyes met his. His little hand gently touched my face. I grabbed it with both hands.

"Ryou! I'm S-s-so-…" I couldn't even complete my sentence. I was happy to see him again but seeing him also brought back the guilt I've been harboring for so many years.

"Don't apologize, Gold." He smiled sadly.

"I'm sorry Ryou! I'm so sorry! It's my fault you're dead!"

"I'm happy you became champion. And you're friends with Big Brother! Isn't he cool?" He beamed.

I nodded slowly, tears drying on my face.

"I hope you two can be really good friends! Please have fun like we promised, ok?" Ryou looked deep into my eyes.

"Okay…" I choked out. "But… I didn't keep my promise…I promised… that we'd play again…" I felt the guilt build up.

He rubbed my arm and frowned. "Gold?"

I looked at him. He smiled. "Then let's play right now!" He pointed at the playground.

"You mean?" I stuttered.

"Uh huh!" He said excitedly.

I stared at the playground with the happiest smile.

"It's ok right? You got taller!" He looked at me up and down.

"No of course it's ok! I made you a promise." I took his hands in mine.

"Ok! C'mon let's go!" He pulled me over to the playground.

I don't know how much time passed. Hours could've gone by, but I didn't notice. We played in the park and all the other games we played as kids.

When we were done, we laid down on the grass and watched the clouds, like we used to. After relaxing in silence, he turned to me.

"Gold?" He said.

I looked over. He held out his pinkie, which was now small compared to mine. With a shaking hand, I weakly intertwined his pinkie with mine. Fresh tears started to run down my face, and I lost it. I pulled him into a hug and sobbed once more.

"I… had so much fun!" I cried out. "And it was all thanks to you! Ryou…you were such a good friend…. Thank you…so much…I wouldn't be where I am if it weren't for you! Thank you…" I held him tighter. His small arms wrapped around me as he leaned his head on my shoulder.

"I'm very happy for you." He closed his eyes.

"Ryou…. please…. don't leave me again…." I said. As useless as those words were, I couldn't help it. I didn't want this moment to end. I wanted to take him with me. I didn't want him to go. Not now or ever.

"I'm sorry, Gold. But I must go now," Ryou broke away from the hug and looked at me with those innocent, brown eyes.

"N-no…." Was all I could mutter out. Looking at me with sorrow in his eyes, he leaned in till our foreheads touched.

"I'm going now, ok?" He said. "But I'll always be with you!" A smile crossed his face.

"Ryou…. I…No!" I watched in horror as he started to disappear. No. I had more to say to him. I wasn't done apologizing.

"Don't worry! We'll see each other again one day! I love you, Gold!" He smiled as he faded away. His transparent hand stroked my cheek. I tried to hug him in time but there was nothing in my arms. He was gone.

Still on my knees, I cried as loud as I could.

"Goodbye Gold! We'll always be best friends!" His voice called out.

I looked up at the bright, blue sky, my tears spilling nonstop. Despite that, I smiled.

"I love you, too. Until we meet again. We'll always be best friends, Ryou." I said.

From the distance, I heard the swing sets move.

XXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXX

I suddenly woke up and brought my hand to my face. It was dried with tears. I must've been crying in my sleep. Remembering why, new tears slid down my face.

"Ryou…you came… to say goodbye…I'm so glad. Thank you," I cried into my hands.

"Gold? What's wrong?"

My head snapped up and I suddenly remembered Calem was here.

"You're crying! Gold what's the matter?" He grabbed a tissue to wipe my tears. I slammed into his arms and sobbed.

"Hey, don't cry its ok," He soothed me and stroked my hair.

"You kept mumbling someone's name in your sleep last night."

My eyes shot open.

"What?" I looked up at him.

"Yeah, Ryou or something like that. Is he a friend of yours? You never mentioned anyone by that name. Only Blue, Silver, and Lyra," he said with a questioning look on his face.

It only made me cry more.

"Hey, you don't have to talk about it if you don't want to," Calem reassured.

After a few more minutes, I faced him.

"I'll tell you. When the time is right. I'll gather everyone, since they don't know either," I said.

"Oh, okay," Calem looked a bit concerned but seemed to take my word for it. "Alright, I won't rush you."

"Thank you Calem. I'm sorry for breaking down all of the sudden. I must've looked pathetic."

"Don't say such things, Gold. You're a great friend and Pokémon trainer! Sylveon would agre e on the latter." He said trying to lighten the mood.

I smiled a bit.

"Now wash your face with cold water. Don't want everyone to start worrying." Calem suggested.

I sniffed. "Yeah, okay."

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I showed this chapter to my friend awhile back and she said she almost cried XD. But what did you guys think?
> 
> So after this chapter there's gonna be another chapter or two of Gold's mini adventures with his friends before the big trip to Kalos in two months. There'll be stuff like battles and whatnot cuz hey, this is a Pokemon story. Because of that we won't see a certain someone for a bit but don't worry I'll try to make it as enjoyable as I can! Also I start school tomorrow so pardon for any slow updates. :X


	17. Chapter 17

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Sorry for the long wait! I had a big of writer's block plus I started school. Fun times, right? Anyway, here's the next chapter in our story!

"We gotta show him Goldenrod!" Lyra exclaimed.

"Goldenrod? I think I've heard of it." Calem said.

"It's pretty neat." Silver smiled.

"Is Blue gonna come?" Lyra turned to me.

"Nah, he's recruiting possible gym leaders, so he had to skip out for today." I responded looking at the text he sent me.

We all met up outside my house since we made plans to show Calem around. I washed my face with cold water three times, hoping it would reduce my puffy eyes from last night. They didn't seem to notice, rendering me relieved. I really didn't feel like coming up with a false story.

"Alright then, its settled. Lets all go." Calem beamed.

Me and Calem flew on my Flygon while Silver and Lyra flew on her Dragonite. I was a bit disappointed seeing that I was curious what Pokemon he had. He only mentioned an Absol and his starter, Froakie which evolved into Greninja. We discussed all the stores and restaurants in Goldenrod before we finally made it about ten minutes later.

"It's huge!" Calem said when he saw how big the city was.

"Bet its not as big as Lumiose." I responded.

"True, but it's still impressive." He smiled.

"Hey there's the radio tower!" Lyra said. "Gold's favorite DJ is there!"

"Uh yeah, she's pretty nice." I said. "I always listened to her when I needed background noise."

"Ah I see. So, you guys have a radio tower. I don't think Kalos has one." Calem said.

We landed near the tower and not too far from the Gaming Corner.

"They have an arcade!" Calem's eyes lit up.

"Yup! They have arcade games and a gambling section. Wanna check it out?" I turned to him.

"Of course," He said.

"You're a gamer, correct?" Silver asked.

"That's right, he met Gold on an online game awhile back, so he knows his stuff." Lyra said quickly.

"Wasn't asking you…" Silver rubbed his temple.

Calem chuckled. "Well what are we waiting for, let's go!" He tugged my sleeve and we all stepped in.

"He seems eager," Silver whispered.

"Yeah he's usually more mellow." Lyra tapped her chin.

"When it comes to games, he's a total nerd. I tease him about it, but I guess I'm one to talk." I claimed.

We went inside. It was the same as it ever was, lights of all colors shining from the machines and the ceiling lights dimmed down as you go into the gambling corner. There were many kids with their families and friends in the arcade area. Some college kids and older adults were situated in the gambling section. A few trainers were sitting and drinking with their Pokémon in the bar and food area.

Lyra pulled Silver into the childish old games. Groaning, he followed her and complied. We all knew Silver was secretly a nerd too. Calem and I decided to play more challenging retro games that required carefully timed play and good hand eyed coordination. After a while, we stopped after getting so many ties.

"Wanna get a drink?" I asked him.

"Sure," He sighed in exhaustion. Our hands and minds were tired by now. I sat down and ordered a root beer float while Calem ordered a vegetable juice. We looked over and saw Lyra was still getting excited over a shooter game and Silver nagging at her reactions. I rolled my eyes at how much energy the short girl had.

"And I thought I played games nonstop." Calem raised an eyebrow.

"You're telling me," I agreed. We talked a bit about other games we've played and how it has changed over time.

"I remember when I had to be precisely below the ladder to climb it," He said.

"Yeah that's what this arcade reminds us of. It was challenging but-"I nearly spat out my drink when I heard a familiar voice shouting from the other side.

"HAHAHA, I WIN AGAIN SUCKER! I'M THE ZOMBIE KILLING QUEEN!" Lyra shouted and did a dance in front of Silver. Everyone stopped and looked over at them. I face palmed.

"Keep it down you moron! Everyone's looking!" Silver waved his hand frantically.

"You're just jealous that I stand out more than that fiery head of yours." She stuck her tongue out.

"You only won cuz you're always on a freaking sugar rush that never ends. Unlike you I'm only human and my hands get tired." Silver retorted. Lyra pouted.

Calem chuckled and I shook my head.

"Damn brats can't keep their fucking mouth shut. Why did he have to make me wait here in the first place?" A grouchy voice nearby muttered.

I glanced over and noticed a man in about his early thirties a few seats down. He had a stubble growing in and baggy eyes. But that's not what screamed suspicious. He wore black pants and a jacket mostly covering the white shirt inside. He also wore a black cap shading his face. Despite the jacket, I was able to make out a big red letter in the center of the white t shirt. Calem seemed to have noticed too.

"Hey Gold, isn't that…" He leaned in and whispered.

"Yeah, though I hope we're mistaken." I whispered back. What the hell was going on? Didn't we get rid of these guys about a year ago? I kept my face down but continued to observe him from the corner of my eye.

"Should we tell the others?" Calem suggested.

"No, it'll cause too much of a scene." I said, knowing Lyra would overreact. "I think its good that she keeps Silver distracted, so we can discuss this elsewhere. For now, let's just pretend we're drinking and listen." He nodded in response.

After a few minutes, the man spoke up.

"Yeah she here? What does she look like?" He whispered into his ear phone. We strained to listen.

"I don't care if this kid fucks up. We have better a much better resource anyway. I just need the damn cash got it? Fine, whatever." He hung up and turned in his seat, looking into the arcade.

"He's looking for someone." Calem said.

"Yeah. I wonder who it is." I watched from side.

"Didn't he say 'kid'?"

"It better not be." I said through my teeth. But sure enough, a young girl around eleven with her golden hair tied in pigtails came over to him with her hands clenching a small teddy bear in front of her. I fought the urge to jump up.

"You got it or what?" The man scoffed. She nodded shyly. She opened it and gave him the bear. He snatched it from her and she flinched.

"I can't believe we had to do this out in the open. Fucking security can't keep their noses out of the alleyways." He said and ripped the bear off its head. "Embarrassing-ass disguise…" He muttered.

"What the fuck? Where's the rest you little shit?" He tried not to say too loud and waved the bear.

"I-I'm sorry…I don't have it all now, but I promise it'll be here soon." She stuttered, her hands protecting her face. His face grew redder with anger.  
"Listen bitch, the boss'll kill me if I don't have it all. If you don't get it now- "

He stopped when the loud noise of the chair squeaked.

"Picking on young kids at your age? How much of a wimp are you?"

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> ooooooohhhh snap does someone we know have a gutsy side? Also, can ya guess who that man is? You probably can, especially if you're a hardcore Pokemon fan like me XP.
> 
> P.S. if you're wondering I did mention that there will be other adventures besides the focus of Red and Gold's relationship, so don't worry I haven't forgotten I just wanna make this story based too.


	18. Chapter 18

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Here's chapter 18! Let's see who the man is a part of and what's gonna happen next hehe...

The man stopped and quickly turned to the loud chair squeak.

"Picking on young kids at your age? How much of a wimp are you?" Said a boy wearing a black and gold cap.

He was surprised at the bold remark. The boy didn't even look very tough, except for the snide grin that plastered his face. The man scowled.

"Mind your own business, kid. She's just running some errands for her dad." The black clothed man waved his hand.

"That excuse is as old as you. How about earning your own money? Or has your pensions expired?" The boy tilted his head mockingly.

"Watch your fucking mouth, brat." The man slowly got up. The boy didn't flinch in the slightest. It was then Calem also stood up from behind Gold, making the man slightly confused that the boy had a friend.

While Gold was distracting the man, Lyra and Silver (who had been watching the whole time) walked over to the little girl. She feared the them at first but relaxed at Lyra's friendly face. She bent down to her eye level.

"What's your name?" she asked.

"Nellie," She said in a small voice.

"Nellie, let's go somewhere safe, away from that bad man, okay?" She offered her hand. She nodded and complied. Gold noticed from the corner of his eye but showed no hints. Calem nodded to them slightly while the man was eyeing Gold.

"Are your parents with you?" Lyra asked once they were outside the doors.

She shook her head.

"Where are they?"

"I don't know. These people in black took me one day and made me steal for them." Nellie said, tears welled up in her eyes.

"What?" Lyra's eyebrows lowered.

"That's sick," Silver muttered.

"How long have you worked for them?" Lyra asked.

"Two months."

"Ever try to reach your parents?" Lyra asked.

"No, they said if I called them or the police I would get hurt. I was scared so I didn't." She gripped the handle on her bag.

Silver balled his fists.

"Do you remember their number?" Lyra asked.

She nodded.

"Alright Nellie, listen to me very carefully. My name's Lyra and this is Silver. We'll take you to the police station down the block. We have to tell them everything."

"Okay," She said and wiped her tears. Lyra took her hand and they walked quickly.

"By the way, isn't the bastard a Team Rocket grunt?" Silver whispered.

Lyra froze. But she knew. The man fit the attire of the villainous team she and her friends fought before.

"Yes. It seems so. I saw the big red-letter R on his shirt." She looked around to see if anyone was listening.

"I thought we got rid of those assholes awhile ago. Why the hell are they still around?" He tried not to speak too loud in case Nellie would hear.

"I don't know, but this is bad. If they rise up again everyone- especially young trainers and Pokémon will be in trouble." Lyra said.

"I hope the idiot will be okay," Silver said about Gold.

"He's fine. He's strong plus Calem is with him." Lyra said calmly. They finally got to the station and went in.

After Lyra and Silver escorted the girl out, Calem breathed a sigh of relief. He then turned his glare to the Team Rocket grunt. The grunt noticed this boy was much taller, but still didn't look very threatening.

"Hey, looks like 'Dad' can't look after his own daughter." Gold looked past the grunt.

"What?" the grunt turned around and saw that the girl was gone. "Where the hell is that bitch? Did you brats do something?" He turned back to Gold and Calem, infuriated.

"I thought I heard you say, 'I don't care if this kid fucks up' earlier. Or were you just trying to sound tough cuz you're scared of higher ranks?" Gold taunted.

The man scowled. "Didn't I say to watch your fucking mouth, you little shit?"

"Cause a scene here, and you'll get thrown out." Calem warned.

The grunt sucked his teeth. "I'll make you kids pay, one way or another."

"Alright, deal."

Calem and the grunt both looked surprised.

"What did you say?"

"Are you deaf? I said, 'deal'. Get your hearing aids fixed already." Gold rolled his eyes.

"The hell do you mean by that?" The grunt pressed.

"Tell you what, since you need all the money to avoid getting your ass kicked, I'll make a deal with you. Come with me." Gold said and walked past him.

"Gold!" Calem said followed him. "What's this about?"

"You'll see." He said so fast that Calem barely heard.

The grunt, seeing he had no choice now that the girl was gone followed the two boys to the gambling area. In the very back he saw that the two boys stopped near a pool table. The shorter one had picked up a cue stick and was adding blue talc to the tip. The tall one looked just as confused as he did.

"What the hell is this?" The grunt walked up to them.

"It's called pool, get with the times." The boy rolled his eyes which infuriated him further. He has never met a child with a ridiculous amount of fearlessness.

"I know what it is, kid, I'm asking why we are over here."

"Alright so here's the deal. We play a game. If you win, I'll give you however much money you need. But if I win, you give me all the money from that bear and you go back empty handed." Gold leaned one arm on the cue stick and crossed his ankles in a confident pose.

"Gold!" Calem said.

"What? Why the hell would I play a game with a brat like you?" The grunt said angrily.

"Well let's look at your situation. You lost the girl who was your only source of money. We can battle for money but that would cause a scene since we're in a big city and the alleyways are all blocked by security. That's right I heard what you said on the phone. You can gamble here for more money, but like the name suggests it's a gamble. There's a higher chance you'd lose anyway. So, your only option is to play this game usually played by adults against a young brat like me. Which would you prefer?" Gold smiled and raised an eyebrow.

Calem stood there wide eyed. What was his friend thinking? Not to mention he had never seen Gold act like this before. He usually displayed a humble and slightly awkward persona. Now he was betting money against a Team Rocket member of all people, but he didn't seem to be worried in the slightest.

The grunt's mouth twitched. The damn brat was right, he really didn't have much of a choice. Besides, how good can this cocky little kid beat a grown man at pool?

"Fine, I'll play your stupid game. But just one. Unlike you kids, I'm an adult and I got places to be, so let's make this quick." He said and took a cue stick.

"Can't miss your Bingo game?" the boy snickered. His friend face palmed.

"I'M NOT THAT FUCKING OLD!" The grunt lost it and caused everyone to look over. He tipped his hat in embarrassment. The boy laughed hysterically.

"Just start already, ya little smart ass." He whispered.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Alright! Omg this chapter was fun to write, especially with all of Gold's snarky remarks. What did you think of this different side to him? Hint: this side of him comes from the manga. I thought it would be interesting to add to my story instead of making him a generic awkward kind hearted and goofy protagonist like we've seen a bunch of times. Also the reason this chapter is in 3rd person is because I don't really wanna show what's going on in Gold's mind when he's acting like this. It adds more mystery to him in my opinion.
> 
> So that man wasn't anyone particularly famous in the Pokemon world but did you guess he's a Team Rocket member? Why are they still around? What's with that confidence? Stay tuned for more in the next chapter!


	19. 19

The man couldn't believe this was happening.

If he was in deep shit, then now he was taking an elevator to hell.

The shorty's movements were unlike any he's seen before. The intense concentration, the perfectly angled movements, the confident expression.

"Tch." The grunt spat as Gold earned another point.

"Wanna give up?" Gold raised an eyebrow in mockery. The grunt scoffed.

"No thanks. I'm not losing to a damn kid." The grunt carefully aligned his cue stick on his set.

"Ya mean you just can't lose or do ya mean you can't suffer a humiliating defeat?" Gold jokingly put his hand near his ear.

"Fuck!" The man missed the cue ball entirely. "You distracted me you punk!"

"Hmmm? Its your own fault for not concentrating." Gold shrugged.

The man scowled. If this weren't a public area, he would've pummeled the little punk till he called for his mother. But his anger wasn't helping. A few more points and the punk would win.

Meanwhile, Lyra and Silver were waking back from the station.

"I can't believe we actually found a missing child." Silver brought up.

"Yeah she was crying when she finally got to talk to her parents on the phone. Team Rocket's really sunk this low." Lyra said.

"Well she's safe now. Hopefully so is Gold."

They walked back into the arcade to find Gold, Calem and a very distressed looking grunt in the back. He had thrown his cue stick to the floor. Gold stood there smiling victoriously while Calem put everything back into place.

"Oh no what has the idiot done now?" Silver sighed. Lyra giggled and practically skipped over.

"Can't we leave you alone for two seconds without you getting yourself into trouble?" Silver frowned at his rival.

"Ha, he looks like he's about to cry." Lyra looked to see the grunt bent over and muttering curse words.

"Served him right. He just needed to be taught a lesson for picking on kids." Gold said casually.

"Now what, do we report him?" Calem asked.

"Yup. Hey. You're coming with us." Gold walked over to the grunt.

"What? I never agreed to go with you!" He looked up from his hands.

"I said, if I win you go back empty handed. I didn't specifically say where. You really thought I'd let you escape back to headquarters?"

"I don't have to listen to you…"

"Hey its either you come with us to the police or you go face humiliation with your colleagues. Either way, you're fucked." Gold shrugged.

"You brats. I'll get you all for this."  
"Good luck trying to escape jail bars."

"Shut up!"

"How 'bout you shut up first before your dentures fall out. Now come with us." Gold demanded.

His friends snickered. The man scowled but stayed silent the whole way.

When Calem and Gold brought the man in, outside a little girl with golden hair in pigtails was hugging her parents. They all smiled and waved before they got into the car.

"Thanks for bringing this guy in. It was quite brave of you to stand up to a grunt like that." Officer Jenny said.

"Hehe, it was nothing." Gold blushed.

He was now back to his old self. What other surprises will I get from this guy? Calem thought. Silver also took notice.

"But we'll interrogate him and hopefully he'll be willing to tell us more details about how they operate and their headquarters."

"Mind letting us know if you find anything? I wouldn't be surprised if word got out and they start coming after us." Calem asked with a concerned expression.

The young officer hesitated for a moment.

"Alright, but I strictly advise you not to do anything stupid. I know you kids want to be heroes, but some jobs should be left to the police. If anything happens, let us know first." She crossed her arms.

"Yes, Officer Jenny." They all said.

"Also, that little girl and her parents left you all this." She handed them a gift bag which had a few bento boxes, donuts, some supplies and a two-hundred-dollar gift card.

"Woah! This is insane! They didn't have to give us all this!" Lyra's jaw dropped.

"They… really must've been happy." Silver had rarely seen kindness before his days with Gold and the gang.

"Think nothing of it. To them this is only a fraction of thanks they could've offered in a short amount of time. Their daughter is much more precious than all the delicacies in the world." Officer Jenny smiled.

"Still, we really appreciate this. Give them our thanks." Calem bowed and his friends followed.

"Of course."

They sat on one of the tables and chairs outside a mall. Everyone was hungry after the whole incident and needed a break. At first, they ate in mostly silence, only mentioning how good the food was.

"So, do we just let this slide?" The redhead of the group asked. It's a question that's been bugging them since they first saw the grunt.

"I don't want to get involved, but I'm afraid of the dangers that could arise from simply ignoring it." Calem poked his lunch with his fork.

"Plus, we know he isn't alone from the way he acted. There's probably a whole bunch of these scary guys lurking around somewhere." Lyra added.

"What do you think we should do, Gold?" Calem asked.

Gold was quiet, which was rare for the talkative boy. After a moment of silence and pushing food around his plate, he looked up.

"Let's look into this. I can't sit back and relax while these assholes are runnin' around. I know things would've gotten worse if Lyra, Silver and I didn't take care of them back then."

They all stared at their friend at first.

"Alright, let's do this!" Lyra smiled.

"Ugh, what am I getting myself into again." Silver sighed.

"Aw c'mon don't be such a party pooper." Lyra slapped his back, making him almost choke on his food. He glared at her before saying,

"I'd appreciate it if you don't mention the word 'poop' while I'm eating."

Calem and Gold laughed.

"Hey, Calem we're sorry our 'Exploration of Johto Hangout' didn't go exactly as planned." Gold scratched his cheek.

"Yeah, if Gold wasn't such an idiot you'd have a good time." Lyra said.

"Hey, we already established that we did the right thing!" Gold pointed out.

"No, its fine really. I did have fun. I'm actually glad you took care of it. Otherwise that girl and god who knows who else would suffer."

Gold nodded.

"Looks like someone can tolerate your idiocy." Silver said.

"Watch it!" Gold spat. They all laughed and continued eating.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> A/N: Omg sorry I took so long to upload a somewhat boring chapter. I was working on my other fanfiction which requires a lot more brainwork. (Danganronpa fans look forward to it maybe hopefully ;P) Also the next chapter will be a bit more interesting so stay tuned!


	20. Chapter 20

-Gold's POV-

I went home exhausted that night. I didn't feel like telling my mother what transpired that day, so I told her I just had fun with my friends. I flopped onto the bed. I was thinking of calling Calem but realized that my long distant friend was now here in person.

"Old habits never die, huh." I muttered before dozing off.

XXXXXXXXXXXXXXX

I once again in an open grassland. Only this time, everything was distorted. The swings were broken and creaked in the wind. The rest of the playground had vines growing on it m. The sky was swirling in dark colors like black, purple, and blue.  
"What the hell is all this?"

I heard a child's laugh. It was different from before. This time it was a little girl.

"Who's there?" I tried to look for the source. Finally, I saw the girl hiding underneath the slide.

"Hey, are you okay?" I carefully approached her. She had dark hair adorned in twin tails and was wearing overalls. Before I could get a better look, the scenery suddenly changed. Now we were surrounded by a crowd. The rioters were all wearing black and shouting at us. At first it was inaudible. Something clutched my shirt. The little girl was crying into my chest begging me to help her. Up close I could see that she had black hair and gold eyes similar to mine. Unlike before, her hair was now a mess and her clothes where tattered. I held her close and finally heard what the rioters were saying.

"Give her to us!"

"Hand her over now!"

"She's with us!"

"We need her! She's special!"

Seeing how scared she was, these people obviously have bad intentions.

"Get away from her!" I yelled. This only angered them more. When they were about to approach us, I yelled from the top of my lungs.

XXXXXXXXXXXXXXXX

"Get away!"

Sylveon jumped off the bed in fear. While I watched her stumble, I realized I had woken up.

"Ugh, I'm sorry, girl. I just had a nightmare." I opened my arms and she jumped back.

"Hey, I woke up before you," I laughed. She licked my face. What the hell was that?

"Gold! Breakfast!" A woman's voice called.

"Coming!" I ran downstairs with Sylveon. She had just set the pan down on the stove and took out the ingredients.

"You're not finished yet?" I asked.

"Oh, I actually heard you scream but I wasn't sure. If you didn't come down I would've went up to check."

"It was just a nightmare, sorry Mom."

"Sure, you're okay?"

"Yes, nightmares happen."

She looked at me then smiled.  
"I'm glad. I get worried you know?"

She didn't need to explain anymore. We both knew that during my withdrawal I had constant nightmares and wouldn't get out of bed. She did her best to avoid explicitly saying it to avoid bad memories resurfacing, which I greatly appreciated. Ever since I met Lyra I rarely got them. I remember how much happier she looked. Despite always smiling during my dark days, I noticed her face lacked color. She'd been hurting as much as me. My mother only kept that persona for my sake. From then until now, she was just concerned like any good mother would.

"Hey what's this about?" she said when I hugged her.

"Nothing."

"Alright sweetie lemme cook, okay?" She ruffled my hair and went back to cooking. Sylveon tilted her head.

"Yeah, I know, you're hungry." I patted her.

Two days had gone by and we heard nothing from Officer Jenny. By now I had forgotten about my dream. My pokegear suddenly started buzzing when I walked right outside the house.

"Hello?"

"Gold? This is Officer Jenny."

"Good morning, ma'am. Is something the matter?"

"Well, this isn't the best subject to speak over the phone, but I have to since my superiors would be against telling you this."

"It's alright, I would hate to get you in trouble."

"Thank you. So, we managed to get some info out of the guy. He said there are several places where Team Rocket lurks and that they're possibly working with another terrorist group. Since he's a low-ranking member, he doesn't know who it is."

"Another terrorist group? Sure he's not lying?" My face contorted.

"At this point, I doubt he has any reason to. He said that if he went back he would've been de-ranked and harshly criticized for his failure. They apparently have been keeping some children as hostages for the sake of making money."

"Why though?"

Officer Jenny didn't say anything for a moment. Then her voice came, lower this time.

"What I'm about to tell you might be top secret information, and he only gave the vaguest of details. Children have been kidnapped because there's rumors of gifted children who can communicate with Pokémon and help them evolve. I don't know if this is true, but after you found that little girl I wouldn't be surprised if it were. These kids are treated like slaves and forced to do their bidding. Like I mentioned earlier there are multiple places where they gather but he isn't sure where they all are. He came from one in Whirl Islands."

"Gifted children? And why Whirl Islands?" After exploring that maze of waterfalls, whirlpools, and not to mention a hot tempered legendary, I can't imagine anyone wanting to reside there.

"I know, I thought he was crazy. But he said Whirl Islands a hard place to get to, so they decided no one would find them there. Also, it's in one of the safer islands where there's not many waterfalls or fast current so they did think a little."  
"I see. But why are you telling me all this? Before you were all like, 'I strictly advise you not to do anything stupid' and 'This is a job for the police.'"

Officer Jenny's mouth twitched. She was on an early break, but she felt it'd be best to look around her and make sure no one was watching.

"Of course I'd say that in the workplace. In truth, I joined the police team because I wanted to change it. Me and my sisters. There are so many crimes that are overlooked. Like we didn't know Team Rocket was back until you and your friends defeated them. We want to be better police officers and inspire others to stand up against crime. But even we can't do everything ourselves. We need help from the people. Especially ones like you and your friends, Gold. So please. Stop this madness. Stop Team Rocket and whoever they're working with. And please, save those children." She bit her lip.

I thought for a minute, then sighed in relief. I was glad someone in the department was on our side. At the end of the day, we were just a bunch of kids.

"Alright. I'll keep you posted. Just watch your back okay? And I don't recommend telling anyone else in your department for now. I'd just trust your sisters more if I were you."

"Got it, and you watch it too. I wasn't completely lying when I said don't do anything stupid."

"Yes, I understand." I laughed "Thank you Officer, you were a big help."

"Of course, I have a duty to fulfill. Now my break's over, so we'll talk again." She said before hanging up.

I sighed. I was thankful to have another ally, but my gut told me we'd be getting into something crazy. I decided to call my friends and tell them about what just happened.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> A/N: Officer Jenny got more screentime than intended, but this was fun to write. Also decided to add to Gold's mom since she's a big part of his life. Be sure to remember Gold's dream too, since it'll be important later. 
> 
> Also if you're wondering about my Author's note, I decided to delete it since I won't replace Lyra with Crystal/Kris. I've come this far and making a major change will be a major setback for my story. Crystal is also like Gold in a way since they're bold and determined. Lyra is peppy and fearless and I want to keep their friend group's personalities balanced.


	21. Chapter 21

"What kind of insane shit have we gotten ourselves into?" Silver spat.

"I agree. This is a bigger issue than I anticipated." Calem rubbed his chin.

"This sounds fun!" I sighed. The brown-haired girl had no sense of danger.

I had gathered my friends right after Officer Jenny called. We settled for my place since my mother was out shopping. Gathering in a big city where spies could be lurking probably wasn't the best option

"Listen, I won't force you guys into this. If you think we should sit this one out, I'll understand completely." I ushered.

We sat in silence for a moment before Lyra spoke up.

"This isn't new to us, so why not?" We all looked over at her.

"Calem, Gold told me that you and your friends stopped a terrorist team from destroying all life?" She turned to Calem.

"Uh yeah, Team Flare."

"So we shouldn't have a problem with this situation." Lyra crossed her arms.

"Have you lost it?" Silver retorted.

"What?"

"Yeah, I get it. We each fought an evil organization before. But have we ever fought two at once? Do you not realize how fucking dangerous that sounds?"

"Well…" She hesitated.

Silver had a point. Sure, we've fought people bigger than us, but we never had to go against two secret terrorist organizations. How powerful will they be? While I was having my doubts, I suddenly got a headache.

"Ow!" I gripped my head in pain.

"Gold! What's wrong?" Calem said.

"Oh my god are you ok?" Lyra asked.

"Dude what's gotten into you?" Silver added.

They all ran over to me while I crouched on the floor and gripped my hair. I barely heard them though, since all I could see were flashes. When they became clear, I saw the images of the dream I had two nights ago.

"Crap, how could I forget?" I gasped when they finally stopped.

"Forget what?" Lyra asked.

I slowly got up.

"Guys, we have to do this."

"What do you mean? What happened?" Calem said.

"I'm not sure, but I suddenly remembered why I stood up against that grunt in the first place."  
"Because he was bullying the little girl?"

I nodded.

"Oh yeah, I nearly forgot too! Aw those poor kids." Lyra frowned.

"You're right. Those sick bastards must pay." Silver crossed his arms.

"Knowing that, and that Officer Jenny's on our side, what do you guys say? You in?" I smiled.

"We're in." They all said with determination.

"Hey, uh, do you think we should tell Blue about this?" Silver asked.

"I think so. We could use more allies. Go call him right now." I said.

"What? Why don't you, lazy ass?"

"Cuz I'm gonna tell Officer Jenny we agreed to this. I promised to keep her posted. Now quit yapping and get to it." I waved my hand while I dialed her number.

Silver rolled his eyes and complied.

XXXXXXXXXXX

"Hey asshole, you finally answered." Silver said.

"If you're gonna be a dick, then I'll just hang up." Blue answered.

"Wait, ugh, actually are you busy?"

"Asking me out on a date?" Blue smirked.

"No dipshit!" Silver shouted causing Calem to look over in confusion.

"This is actually serious, maybe an emergency. So, if you have time you better sit down and listen." Silver added.

"Don't give me orders. But spill." From the other line, Blue took a chair and sat down. After hearing the whole story, Blue got up.

"No fucking way… You're joking."

"Why the fuck would I joke about something like that?" Silver rubbed his forehead.

"Alright, alright, I'll join you guys. I found a potential gym leader, so my job here is done. I'll meet you all there tomorrow first thing in the morning."

"What? Tomorrow?" Silver's eyes widened.

"Idiot, this is why you guys need an adult with you. We need to take care of this shit ASAP, so I'll give you a day to prepare. Be ready by tomorrow morning, got it?" Blue ordered.

"Like age always matters! Fine, I'll tell everyone."

"Its not age, I'm just more mature than you." Blue smiled.

"Shut up! We'll be there, okay?" Silver shouted before hanging up as fast as possible.

From the other line, Blue sighed. "Fucking kids. You did this to yourselves."

XXXXXXXXXXXXXX

"Alright, when are you guys gonna go?" Officer Jenny asked.

"Um," I hesitated. "When are we going?" I whispered over to my friends.

"Asshole said tomorrow." Silver walked over after talking to Blue.

"What?" We all said.

"What's wrong?" Jenny asked.

"Uh, I think we decided to infiltrate the place tomorrow." I answered.

"Really now? You kids sure seem to act on instinct. Well, the sooner the better. Be careful now okay? Call me before you get in."

"Right."

"Also, I suggest you start recording once you encounter them. We could use extra proof of what's going on."

"Good idea. Thanks Officer."

"Alright. Until tomorrow." She said and hung up.

I sighed. Then quickly turned to Silver.

"Tomorrow? Seriously?" I shouted.

"I'm so excited!" Lyra beamed. I glared at her.

"Hey it wasn't my idea! That asshole suggested it!" Silver put his hands up.

"Ugh, leave it to Blue to think he's in charge." I face palmed.

"Um, so what now?" Calem interrupted.

"We got no choice but to prepare." I looked at him.

"How?" Lyra asked.

"First, supplies. We'll be in the deserted island full of wild Pokémon and probably have to battle Team Rocket."

"Luckily we have the supplies the girl's parents gave us! And we still have some leftover food." Lyra said.

"Yeah, but there's five of us. So lets stock up." Calem added.

"Alright. What else?" Silver asked.

"She said to record the whole thing. Let's get a recorder." I suggested.

"Smart move." Silver agreed.

"Let's get repel too! I'd hate to run into wild Pokémon. We're already gonna run into enough enemies." Lyra said.

"Okay, let's go to the PokeMart then." I said.

"Alright." They complied.

After doing a lot of shopping, we each took our share and headed back. I went into my room and fidgeted with the recorder.

"Can't believe we're doing this. Guess we really do get into some insane shit." I smiled contently and tried to sleep.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> A/N: Sorry for the long build up. But next chapter we'll get into the action!


	22. Chapter 22

Sylveon somehow managed to beat my alarm clock. Again.

"Good morning." I stroked her head affectionately. She purred and nudged my side.

"Ok, ok I'm getting up." I picked up the clock and looked at the time. It was a little before five am. I groaned, remembering that Blue strictly told us to meet at Olivine City at 6:30am. He told us its best to infiltrate the place when they aren't fully prepared for the day. It made sense but getting up this early wasn't easy.

"Morning, Gold." Calem said, putting the sleeping bag away.

"Hey you're up." I said. I suggested he'd stay the night if we were gonna leave for Olivine so early.

"Sylvon got me first." He said and we both laughed.

Luckily we had Sylveon, but Lyra and Silver didn't. Lyra would be super pumped to get up, so I decided to call Silver instead.

"Argh… do you know how what time it is?" Silver groaned from the other end.

"And do you know what today is?" I retorted.

"Yeah, yeah, I know. Lyra already called shouting into my ears so I'm up."

I laughed. "Well glad to know she's up. Hurry up, we got a big day."

"Like I don't know." He said and hung up.

Calem and I quickly got ready and slipped a note under my mom's bedroom door, telling her that my friends and I are gonna try to catch morning Pokémon. It was the best excuse I could think of during my morning rush. After quickly feeding our Pokémon, we stepped out.

Lyra was already out of her house and walking towards Silver's small apartment.

"Hey mornin'!" I shouted and ran towards her.

"Good morning Lyra." Calem said.

"Mornin' Gold, Calem!" She waved.

"Guess sleepyhead hasn't woken up yet." She giggled.

"That guy was never a morning person. I think we better check up on him." I suggested.

We went up to the second floor and knocked.

"Silver! Are you ready to go?" Lyra called.

No answer.

"Hey c'mon we're gonna be late!" I followed.

Still no answer.

"What is he doing?" I sighed.

"He's not answering his phone either." Calem said.

"Hey look he left his window open!" Lyra tugged at my sleeve and pointed.

"What?! Are you crazy?" I said.

"Uh…." Calem hesitated.

"C'mon, if he's not answering what choice do we have?"

"Fine, but if he asks it was your idea." I poked her.

We peeked in and saw nothing at first. His apartment was mainly one room except the bathroom. She and I exchanged glances. Perhaps he was in the bathroom? We crawled in and looked around. I was about to knock on the bathroom door when Lyra stumbled on a pile of blankets. We heard a groan.

"What the...?" she said. The blankets moved and started snoring.

"You gotta be kiddin me…" I rubbed my forehead.

Lyra and I looked at each other and nodded. Calem looked confused.

"1…2…3!"

"WAKE UP SLEEPYHEAD!" We pounced on the blankets.

"Ahhh! What the fuck?" It shouted. Silver angrily pulled the blankets off him.

"Hahahahahahaha!" We laughed.

"Oh my," Calem couldn't hold back a chuckle.

"What? Assholes how did you get in?"

We were laughing too hard to answer so we pointed towards the window.

"You dumbasses broke into my house! That's a crime you know!" Silver got up.

"You weren't answering the door or your phone." Calem said.

"Hey you're dressed." Lyra stopped laughing and looked at him.

"Well yeah, after you both called I got ready. But I was still so tired that a collapsed back in bed right after." He blushed.

"Well at least you're ready. Now lets hurry. We don't wanna be late." I said. Silver grunted.

We all walked out and took out our Pokémon to Fly. Silver and Lyra hopped onto her Dragonite while I got on Flygon. Calem got onto his Talonflame. I've never seen a Pokémon like it. I assumed it was from Kalos. It had a bright orange color on most of its body. Its eyes were serious and determined, yet somehow calm. Calem took good care of it.

While flying, none of us said anything. Silver started snoozing since Lyra was silent for once. I frowned at what he had to face soon. We must be thinking the same thing.

When we arrived at Olivine, the sun still hadn't completely risen yet. The sky had an orange hue that glistened on the calm water. We landed and stared into the distance. We've never been up this early, let alone at a beach. It was a breathtaking sight.

"Are you kids done gawking or what?" A voice said from behind.

We turned to see Blue walking towards us.

"You're here already?" I said.

"Duh. I did arrange the meeting time. Now let's-"Blue was interrupted by a loud snore. He turned to see Silver still dozing on Dragonite.

"Tsk. Hey wake up slacker!" He smacked Silver's head.

"OW! What the hell?" He nearly toppled over. "Ugh that's twice today…" He rubbed his head.

"Alright, it's almost six, so we've got plenty of time. When we land, we gotta make sure there's no security cameras." Blue said and took out his Pidgeot.

"I bought my Mantine so it can fly over and check it the coast is clear." Lyra said. "Mantine is a native to Route 41. If we sent our regular flying Pokémon they'll know a trainer is nearby."

"Good thinking. Did you guys get the recorders?" Blue asked.

"Yes, we bought two, just in case." Calem said and took them out.

"Alright. Since there's five of us we might be easy to spot so at some point we might have to split up. That's when we need the other recorder." Blue nodded.

"Also my Gyrados can get rid of the whirlpools." Lyra added.

"That's perfect. So we're all set?" I asked.

"Seems so. Let's go." Blue said and we took off.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> A/N: Finally got a chapter uploaded! I apologize if I'm taking long to get to the real adventure, I didn't wanna rush through it plus I wanna show part of their plans before they dive into action. Thanks for everyone whose stayed with this story till now! It really means a lot.


	23. Chapter 23

We were all Flying across the ocean. It was definitely much faster than Surfing. The sun was rising into view, brightening the sky. It was beautiful but blinding.

"Think we'll make it on time?" Lyra asked.

"Dunno. They aren't a restaurant where they display their business hours. They could run around the clock for all we know." Blue answered.

"We should be able to catch them at their weakest. Who can function this early anyway?" Silver rubbed his eyes.

"Anyone that isn't you." I muttered. Silver glared at me.

"Hey guys! We're here!" Lyra pointed up ahead. Four islands surrounded by rampaging whirlpools came into view.

"Whoa…I've never these in Kalos." Calem looked in awe. "Can we fly over them?"

"I think it's best we get rid of it first. It could affect the wind current and make it difficult to fly." Blue said. As we flew closer, the wind became stronger.

"I wonder if this is the work of Lugia." I said as I held onto my hat.

"Lugia?" Calem asked.

"She's a legendary flying type, guardian of the seas. When she's distressed, the weather conditions near water worsen. Even the whirlpools get larger." I answered.

"Sounds like a powerful Pokémon. Think she's stressed now? It doesn't look so good around these islands."  
"Probably. If what Officer Jenny said is true, then Lugia is upset about terrorists using her home for inhuman purposes." Blue said.

"Lyra, check if the coast is clear first. If there's security cameras a disappearing whirlpool is sure to turn heads." I suggested.

"Good idea. Go Mantine!" A large sting-ray like Pokémon appeared.

"Mantine, check if there's any guards or cameras." It nodded and took off.

After a few minutes of circling around, it came back to her and shook its head.

"Huh. That's odd. But good job" She patted it.

"It is. I figured they'd need a lookout if they don't want anyone getting near the place." Blue pondered.

"It could be because its supposed to be a secret. If anyone notices security cameras and guards someone is bound to get suspicious." I said.

"I guess its safe to use Gyrados." Lyra shrugged. She threw her Pokeball and a giant, bright red Gyrados came out.

"I've never seen one in that color before!" Calem gasped.

"Oh yeah, it's a shiny. Cool, huh?" Lyra smiled proudly.

"Alright, get rid of those whirlpools!" She pointed.

It roared, and the whirlpools twirled faster before disappearing. The wind also stopped, and the ocean looked peaceful again.

"Good job!" Lyra called and her Gyrados beamed.

"That was amazing, Lyra! You've trained him well." Calem complemented.

"Thanks, alright guys the coast is clear!" She said.

"Might as well get this over with." Silver frowned.

We landed on one of the islands. As Mantine said, there were no cameras or anyone guarding the entrances.

"Do you think that criminal was lying?" I asked.

"What reason would he have to lie at that point?" Silver retorted.

"But it feels so…quiet. Like something is off."

"It wasn't a noisy area in the first place."

"Well I'm gonna call Officer Jenny and let her know we're here." I took out my pokegear and punched in her number.

"Hello? Officer Jenny speaking."

"Officer! I apologize for calling so early."

"Gold! And its alright, waking up early is part of my daily routine. How may I help you?"

"We've arrived at Whirl Islands, we're about to go in."  
She nearly spat out her coffee.

"Are you certain about this? Will you kids be alright?"  
"Yes, Officer. We'll let you know if anything. We have a recording with us, so we'll have evidence if there's something going on."

"Alright. Just please, be careful." She warned and hung up.

"You guys ready?" I asked. They all nodded.

"Alright, Operation Infiltrate Whirl Islands!" I held out my fist. My friends just stared back.

"Dude, that's lame." Silver said.

"W-what?"

"Didn't know you had that kind of humor, Gold." Calem chuckled.

"That sounds like something I would say!" Lyra started laughing.

"The name's too long too. The bad guys will get you before you can finish what you're saying." Silver added.

"You guys are such asses!"

"Everyone be quiet and let's just head inside. And Gold, think of better names next time if you wanna sound the least bit cool." Blue said and walked in.

I blushed and followed.

The first room was dark. The only light was the one that came in from the entrance. We've made sure to spray Max Repel in case any wild Pokémon came in.

"There's no one here." Lyra said.

"This is just the first room. It could be a guise." Blue said.

We walked into the next room and froze. There was a reception desk and a grunt working behind it.

Luckily, he was fast asleep.

"Guess Silver isn't the only one who can't operate in mornings." I smirked.

"Shut up!" He whispered.

Calem walked over.

"Hey guys check this out."

He showed us a clipboard with a list of Team Rocket numbers.

"They go by numbers?" Lyra asked.

"I'm guessing lower ranked ones like grunts do. If their organization is that big, they don't have time to memorize names." I assumed.

"What the heck?" Calem said as he flipped through another page.

"What is it?" Blue asked.

He showed us another set of numbers. This time it was next to ages, not Team Rocket.

"855432 Age 6. 219007 Age 10. 651092 Age 8." Calem read slowly.

"What the hell? Is this what I think it is?" Silver grabbed the clipboard. We all looked down and nodded. Silver carefully put the clipboard back on the desk and we headed for the next entrance.

It was a long hallway with rooms made into the walls. We could hear voices and water running in the distance. We stopped at one door.

"When do they begin?"

"Probably in about fifteen or so minutes. Why?"

"I just wanna get this shit over with. Wish we could find a talented brat already. We're just wasting time."

"Looks like what that grunt told Jenny is true." I whispered.

"Should we break in?" Silver asked.

"If we want more information, yes. But we don't want them to know how many of us there are. How bout one of us show up and the rest can get info by checking the other rooms." Blue suggested.

"Alright. I'll go in this one. See you in a few minutes." I said. After parting ways, I opened the door.


	24. Chapter 24

Both grunts stopped talking when I entered the room.

"The hell? How did you get here?" said the taller grunt.

"Who are you?" the shorter asked.

"Where are the kids?" I asked stoically.

"What? Why do you know that?" Shorty asked.

"It's none of your damn business! Get out of here or we'll take you out!" Taller said.

"Go Raticate!" Shorty threw his Pokeball.

"You too, Golbat!" Taller mimicked. I sighed.

"Typhlosion." A red beam appeared, and my partner growled.

"Raticate Super Fang!"

"Golbat, Bite!"

Both lunged at the large badger like fire Pokémon.

"Focus Blast." Typhlosion bought its paws together forming a light blue ball. He aimed it at both grunt's Pokémon, knocking them out cold.

"What the?" they both gawked at their fainted Pokémon then at Gold.

"Where. Are. The. Kids." I took a step forward.

"W-Why should we tell you?" Typhlosion growled, making them flinch.

"Ok, ok! Down the hall you go up the stairs. You surf past the body of water then climb up the waterfall. That's where the main room is. They bring all these kids there then send them to their rooms. I don't know where those are though. But we don't know anything else we swear!" Shorty stuttered.

"Y-yeah so go away! You won't make it far anyway." Taller said.

"That's all I needed to hear from your useless asses." I said and walked out with Typhlosion.

I met up with Calem and Silver at the end of the hall.

"Did you get any info?" Silver asked.

"Yeah. It wasn't much but I know where to go." I took out my recorder.

"You got it?" Calem asked.

"Yeah but we're gonna need more detailed information. I'll start recording again when we reach the main room."

We all turned at the sound of men screaming from one of the rooms.

"Take that suckers! Just cuz I'm a girl doesn't mean I can't your weak ass!" A proud, high pitched voice said. We sighed. Lyra walked out with Meganium, both wearing goofy grins.

"Piece of cake." She patted her green friend affectionately.

"Can you not cause a ruckus? I almost got distracted taking out that guy." Blue followed by his Machamp.

"Sorry I was having too much fun." Lyra giggled. Meganium purred.

"You're both goofballs." Silver said.

"Alright, what did we get?" Blue asked.

"Uh I forgot to ask I was too busy playing." Lyra and Meganium looked away nervously.

Silver and I facepalmed.

"Well what I got is that we have to go to the end upstairs and climb the waterfall." I said.

"They told me that too." Calem said.

"Same. Since we've taken care of these guys let's continue." Blue said and we followed.

Up the stairs we saw a few grunts moving boxes. There was a large body of water up ahead. There was pulley elevator by the waterfall presumably because not every grunt had a Pokémon that knew said move.

"Hey! Who are you kids!" One of the grunts shouted. It caught all the other's attention.

"Crap," Silver muttered.

"Get them out of here now!" one of the grunts from the elevator shouted.

"We got this!" The ones moving boxes said. There were six of them. They each paired up.

"Guess it's a double battle. Ready, Calem?" I held out my fist.

"Of course, my friend." He fist bumped.

"I got this." Blue said calmly and walked up to two grunts.

"Time to kick some more butt! Let's go Silver!" Lyra pulled up her sleeve.

"Guess you're better than pairing up with that cocky asshole." Silver looked over at Blue.

Gold and Calem vs Team Rocket Grunts

"Go Crobat!" Grunt One said.

"Marowak!"

"Let's do this Typhlosion!" I pointed.

"Talonflame, you ready?" The fire bird squawked.

"Crobat use Sludgebomb!" The first grunt ordered.

"Marowak Bonemerang!" Grunt two shouted.

Crobat let out a gunk of poison and shot it towards its opponents. Marowak threw her bone towards us.

"Typhlosion, stop that bone with Focus Blast!" Typhlosion roared and fired the blue ball at the bone, stopping it in its tracks.

"Talonflame use Flare Blitz!" The orange hawk surrounded itself in flames and charged at the Sludge Bomb. The heat burned the poison and K-O'd Crobat.

"Typhlosion finish Marowak with Solar Beam!"

He absorbed energy quickly and blasted the light green aura at his opponent, knocking her out.

"What?!" Both grunts were dumbfounded by their defeat.

"Alright!" I high fived Calem.

"Amazing, Gold your Typhlosion didn't need to power up for too long!"

"I trained him to use his own fire energy as light." I said proudly.

Both Rockets stood in silence while we walked up to them.

"Now may we pass?" I smiled.

"Y-you won't be so lucky later!"  
"Yeah, our boss is tough!"

"We'll see." I said and walked past them.

Lyra and Silver vs Team Rocket Grunts

"Go Sandslash!" Grunt three threw their pokeball.

"Go Arbok!" Grunt four did the same.

"We got this Meganium!" Lyra smiled.

"Let's go, Alakazam." Silver said.

"Use Slash!" Grunt three said. Sandslash charged at Meganium.

"Amateur." Silver shook his head.

"Arbok Poison Fang!" The cobra like Pokémon leapt forward towards Alakazam.

"Hehe, alright Meganium Energy Ball!"

The green Pokémon powered up a large green ball of light and shot it directly at the charging Sandslash.

"Stop it with Psyschock." Alakazam created a couple purple balls of energy and blasted it on Arbok.

Both Grunts Pokémon were out.

"No way!" Grunt three said.

"With one attack?!" Grunt four added.

"That shouldn't be a surprise coming from lowly ranked weaklings like you." Silver tucked his hands in his pockets and walked away.

"Better luck next time!" Lyra winked and followed.

Blue vs Team Rocket Grunts

"Go Houndoom!" Grunt five ordered.

"Get em Hypno!" Grunt six said.

Blue sighed. "Arcanine, Machamp."

"Houndoom Flamethrower!" The hellhound blasted an intense wave of flames towards Machamp.

"Hypno use Psychic!" A wave of psychic energy blasted towards Arcanine.

"Arcanine, dodge with Extremespeed." The large canine howled and dodged the wave in time and attacked Hypno in blinding speed.

"Machamp stop it with Cross Chop." The four-armed Pokémon walked forward and crossed its arms, stopping the flames. It continued till it reached Houndoom and knocked it out.

"How strong are these kids?" Grunt five complained.

"I don't know nor do I wanna find out!" Grunt six nervously looked at their knocked-out Pokémon.

"Well that takes care of that." Lyra said.

"That battle was a joke." Silver said.

"Don't let your guards down, they are grunts after all. The higher ranks might be tougher." Blue said.

"So now we gotta cross that large body of water, right?" Calem pointed.

"Yup. Let's go." Blue said.

After crossing the river and climbing the waterfall, we reached a small area with an entrance up ahead. There were no grunts, but voices could be heard in the along with the sound of water.

"Fucking tell us what it's saying!" A man's voice shouted, making us jump.

"I don't know! I don't have magic powers!" A child's cracking voice responded.

"What the fuck are they doing in there?" Silver clenched his fists.

"They're here." I said in a bitter tone.

"We gotta help them!" Lyra ran forward.

"Hold on, we don't know how many people are in there." Calem grabbed her arm.

"Let's have a look inside and devise a plan." Blue said.

Before any of us could respond, a loud, distressed roar erupted the whole area. We covered our ears from the pain.

"What the hell was that?" Silver asked.

"I never heard a Pokemon cry like that!" Calem said.

Lyra and I stood still.

"What is it?" Blue asked.

"We have." Lyra said.

"What?" Silver asked.

"That's Lugia." I responded.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> A/N: Finally we get to some Pokemon battles! I know it was quick since their enemies were all K-O'd but that's a given since Gold and his friends are champions or near champion level. Plus these were only the grunts so there'll be more challenging battles to come!
> 
> These past two chapters haven't been perfect but I had bad writer's block and wanted to get as much done during my break. But anyways I'm satisfied with what I wrote so see you soon!


	25. Chapter 25

"Lugia?! Silver and Calem spouted.

"That big ass legendary bird you mentioned earlier, right?" Blue asked.

I nodded. We all peered into the big room. What we saw shocked us. It was a huge lab with a bunch of scientists and grunts working around. In the corner there were children in white with their hands tied, huddling and crying in fear. In the middle of the room was a giant barrier that was holding Lugia down. Her neck and wings were held down by chains. She was struggling to break free. Her cries of distress and the Grunts cruelty were scaring the children in the corner.

"What the fuck is this…." Silver muttered.

We stopped looking and turned to each other. We were silent for a few moments before Calem spoke up.

"What should we do?"

"We could just go for an all our attack." Silver clutched his fists.

"That could work if it was just the adults. But that would scare the kids and Lugia even more. We don't wanna put more stress on them." Blue stated.

We stood there and thought.

"I got this."

We all looked up to see Lyra holding her Pokeball up.

"What are you planning?" Silver asked.

"Well like Blue said we can't just barge in and attack. Let me handle this."

"I trust you." I said to her. She smiled.

"Go, Mismagius!" A ghost like Pokémon with a witch hat appeared.

"Shadow Sneak." Lyra winked, and the ghost nodded. Suddenly she turned into a black, misty shadow and entered the room. We all peered in to see what she was going to do next. The shadow snuck up behind a few grunts and scientists, going completely unnoticed. Then, the shadow struck the scientist in the furthest part of the room, where no one would notice. And one by one, scientists and grunts were falling to the floor. When the others were starting to notice, her attacks became swifter until everyone in the room except the kids and Lugia were out cold. The children looked around confused and Lugia stopped struggling. The shadow left the room and came back to the doorway, taking its original form.

"Good job, sweetie." Lyra patted the smirking Mismagius.

"I knew I could trust you." I said casually and held out my fist.

"Thanks." Lyra fist bumped me.

Calem, Silver, and Blue gawked at the room then back at Lyra.

"C'mon, lets rescue them before they wake up." Lyra giggled and ran in.

We went inside. Lyra and Calem approached the kids.

"Don't worry, we'll get you all out of here soon." Calem reassured.  
"We're the good guys!" Lyra smiled. The kids nodded and had the ropes untied from their wrists.

"Go Machamp! Use Crosschop on those chains!" Blue ordered. The four-armed easily cut the chains around Lugia's wings and neck. She roared in delight and flapped her freed wings. Blue stroked her to calm her down.

Silver and I gathered the grunts and scientists and tied them all up.

"Alright, I'll call Officer Jenny and tell her whatsup." I said and took out my Pokegear.

"Hello?" Said a woman's voice.

"Hello Officer?"

"Gold! Omigod I was so worried. How are you kids holding up?"

"We're fine, not a scratch on us. But we found a giant lab room where they were keeping Lugia and forcing the kids into their experiments."

"What?! Oh no, this is what I feared. Are they okay? Is Lugia hurt too? What about the people in the lab?"

"No, they're all fine now. And Lyra's Mismagius knocked out the grunts and scientists working on the experiments. We tied them up, so they're not going anywhere."

"That's… reckless of you. But good job. Now wait for the police to arrive and make sure the children are safe."

"Of course, see you soon Officer." I sighed and hung up.

"They're on their way, but guys make sure we act like we don't know Jenny very well. I don't want her to get into trouble for helping us." I said.

"Alright." They said.

Shortly after, Officer Jenny and her colleagues arrived. They arrested all the grunts and scientists and rescued the children.

"Alright, we can take it from here. You kids sure are tough to handle all these Rockets. But don't get too careless got it? Next time let us know right away." An older male officer said.

"Yessir." We responded. He smiled and went to speak with another police.

Jenny approached us. "You all did great. Thank you." She then whispered, "I'll inform you after their interrogation."

I nodded.

"Alright, our job here is done. Let's go." I said, and we left Seafoam Islands.

Outside, we were shocked to see Lugia in the air looking down at us.

We stared in silence for a moment then Lugia gave a reassuring smile before flying away.

No one said a word on our flight back home.

When we stopped by my house, Blue spoke up.

"Alright, this has been on my mind lately, but I haven't gotten the chance to talk about it. At least where I think is safe enough."

"What?" I asked.

"What the hell did you mean when Jenny told you about a kid with special powers?"

We all said nothing at first. I told them what Officer Jenny told me a few days ago, but she and I brushed it off thinking he wasn't in the right state of mind.

"I just thought he was crazy." Silver said.

"That's what we thought." I agreed.

"I don't think so, remember when we were outside the lab the little girl shouted how she didn't have magical powers?" Calem rubbed his chin.

"Oh yeah I remember, so the grunt is probably telling the truth." Lyra said.

"Shit, do you think any of those kids had it?" Silver asked.

"No, from what we heard. Besides if they did have a kid like that she would probably be in the main headquarters not this one." Calem said.

"So now what?" Silver asked.

"Let's just wait for her next call. We don't know where their other hideouts are, so there's nothing we can do but wait." Blue pointed out.

"Alright. I'll hit you guys up as soon as she calls." I said, and we called it a day.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> A/N: Omg so sorry for the delay! D'x Had writer's block and finals, then work ugh. But I'm back! Look forward to more uploads! Also I promise the next few chapters will be a a bit more interesting.


	26. Chapter 26

"Why hasn't she called yet?" Silver asked one day. We were all drinking tea in Silver's small apartment since he lived alone.

"Last time she called back within a week." Blue added.

"Well we did take down a whole headquarters, so they probably have to do a lot of interrogation." Calem pointed out.

"That's true. All we can do is wait patiently." I said.

"Why can't we call her?" Lyra pouted.

"Dummy, she's a police officer not some old buddy we can hit up anytime. Besides if we call her first it's gonna make her look suspicious." Silver scolded.

"Maybe she forgot us." Lyra twirled her finger around the rim of her tea cup.

"She didn't. Not from the way she helped us." I said firmly.

Like faith would have it, my phone rang.

We all paused then nodded.

"Hello?"

"Gold? Hi it's Officer Jenny."

"Hello, ma'am. How is everything?"

"Fine, no one is suspicious yet. I apologize for the long wait; we had to put together a lot of information. You guys did take down a whole headquarters. But anyway, here's what I've gathered so far. I did some of my own investigation without my superior's permission."

"Officer are you sure this is okay?" I scratched my head.

"It's fine, I'd risk my job if it meant safety for kids and Pokémon."

We all smiled.

"Anyway, I learned some odd things. Are you in public?"

"No, I'm with my friends in Silver's place. It's just us."

"Alright so here it goes. From what I heard from the higher ranks at Seafoam Islands, there is a main headquarters. It's somewhere in the Kalos region. Both the grunts and I believe its Lumiose City since its large and has many alleyways and good signal."

We all gasped.

"Officer, we are actually planning a trip to Kalos in less than a month." I said.

"That's perfect. Pretend its just an innocent vacation and use it to your advantage to investigate."

Blue's mouth twitched.

"But why Kalos?" Calem asked.

"Well, I found out who the other terrorist group is that's working with Team Rocket. Its Team Flare."

"What? Did you say Team Flare?" Calem crawled closer to the phone. "Me and my team just stopped them a year ago!"

"I know, you all became well known even outside the Kalos region." Jenny closed her eyes.

It was true. Calem and his friends Serena and the gang took down Team Flare and prevented world destruction. Their leader yearned for a beautiful world in the most corrupt manner.

"But they came back, like Team Rocket?" Lyra looked worried for once.

"Yes, and its why this mission is so dangerous. Are you kids sure you won't back down?"

"We'll risk everything for the sake of kids and Pokémon's safety." I said.

Jenny chuckled. "You kids got fire."

"Officer, there's something we want to ask." Blue spoke up.

"What is it?"

"What's this about a kid with powers you were telling Gold about?"

She stayed silent for a moment before answering.

"Well my superiors and everyone else ignored this. Despite multiple grunts saying it and the children's testimony, they thought it was just all this craziness getting to their head. Indeed, it sounded whacky, but I investigated it. I've uncovered some old files of Team Rocket and how the leader started this whole organization."

"Wasn't it greed?" Lyra asked.

"Yes, but there was a reason." She took a deep breath. "I'm gonna tell you a secret, I believe I can trust you enough. "I've been working on an old case based on Team Rocket for the longest time now. No one would take it since they thought it was ridiculous. But it intrigued me. Apparently, there's a rare power where one can speak to Pokémon and control them on telepathic levels. Of course, most people would laugh at such a rumor. As a child, the leader of Team Rocket and a few friends claimed to have witnessed it. They all grew up to become the founders of Team Rocket. All except for me."

We gasped.

"Wait, you know them?" I asked.

"I thought I did. But as we grew up, I saw their greed fester. I tried my best, but my efforts to save them were in vain. It's the reason I became a police officer. I couldn't save my old friends, but maybe I can save others." She wiped a tear.

"Officer…" Lyra took me and Silver's hand.

"Anyway, I found out that individual we saw was had a child with the same power years later. But it was too late. They everything they could to protect their child, but… was murdered. The culprits were never found. But, I can assume who did it. I just... couldn't prove it." Jenny choked on the last sentence.

We listened in silence, horrified. Jenny took a deep breath and continued.

"Anyway, I'm certain that child is already captured or close to it. They're probably in Lumiose City in Kalos; the main headquarters."

"We're going." Silver spoke up first. We all looked at him, shocked.

"Y-yeah, we're doing this. For that child and for all the children." Lyra added.

"You kids…. This cold case might finally be solved." Tears rolled down Jenny's face. "You better fucking be careful. Or I'll never forgive myself."

"Don't say that, Officer. We'll end this. And you're on our side, that's already a big help." I said.

She sniffed. "Alright. But you won't go alone. Me and my most trusted colleagues will be following you. But from a distance. We don't want to raise suspicion. You're leaving in less than a month, right?"

"Yes." We said.

"Though I think Oak got us the last tickets." I pointed out.

"It's fine, Gold. I'm a police officer. I have my connections." She smiled.

"Okay, we'll contact you on the day of our departure."

"Wait, Gold. Lemme give you my contact information. I'm gonna use a special phone only us officers used that can't be tracked."

"Smart move." Silver muttered.

"Duh she's a police officer." Blue rolled his eyes. Silver growled.

After exchanging numbers, I hung up.

"Are we really doing this?" Blue asked.

"We are. I don't care how dangerous it is. They need to be taken down for good." Calem's eyes grew dark. I shuddered. Usually he's calm and pleasant. Team Flare must've brought up awful memories.

"He's right. We can't let those jerks get away with all this!" Lyra said.

"There's something that's been bothering me though." Blue stared at his half drunken tea.

"What?" I asked.

"Isn't it too convenient?"

"Huh? What is?" Lyra asked.

"We got tickets to Kalos just as we find out that that's where their main headquarters are. Doesn't that sound too good to be true?"

We all thought. Indeed, the timing was too perfect.

"So what?" Silver spoke up.

"What the hell?" Blue lowered his eyebrows.

"Even if it is, its our only chance to catch them. Besides, Jenny and her colleagues will be watching us like bodyguards."

"Even if it's a trap, maybe we can use that to our advantage. Let's pretend to be oblivious and beat them at their own game." Calem suggested.

"That's a great idea. Then we can say, 'In yo face, sucka!'" Lyra said proudly.

We rolled our eyes. Someone's back to normal.

"Also, let's prepare." Blue said.

"How?" Silver asked.

"Dumbass, by training. We're already a strong team sure, but we're talking about two big organizations. Their leaders could be especially powerful. Sure, we defeated them before but who knows how much stronger they've gotten in the past few years. Not to mention they're working together."

We nodded. I knew perfectly well that being overconfident will only bite you in the end.

"So, when do we start training?" Lyra asked.

"Now."

"Now?!" our jaws dropped.

"The sooner the better, and not just us. I know someone who can help." His face stiffened.

"Who?" Silver asked.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> A/N: whew, didn't expect to add this much to this chapter, let alone give Jenny a backstory. Whaddya think? Anyways, who is Blue talking about? Fine out soon, hehe.


	27. Chapter 27

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Warning: Intimate boyxboy scene ahead, (not too explicit but just saying)

"Who?" Silver asked.

I took a sip of the hot tea, which proved to be a fatal mistake.

"Red." Blue said through clenched teeth.

I spat out, right onto Silver's face.

"Ugh! What the fuck, man?" Silver coughed. Lyra and Calem busted out laughing.

"Uh, sorry…." I gingerly grabbed some napkins and wiped his face.

"I can do it myself, Mom." Silver snatched the napkin from my hand.

"What the hell is wrong with you?" Blue gave me a puzzled look.

"S-sorry. I just choked." I said quickly. It's been over a month since I've seen Red. Hell, I almost completely forgot about him during this whole charade. I suddenly felt my heart thumping in my chest. I grabbed it and gulped. Why am I so anxious?

"Hey, Gold?"

I jumped. "Y-yeah?"

"Seriously, what the hell is wrong with you? Anyway, none of us has spoken to Red right?" Blue asked.

We shook our heads.

"I mean, we only met him once. If anything, you and Gold know him better." Silver raised an eyebrow.

"Well, I've been trying to find a replacement gym leader. Plus, we had to deal with this shit." Blue said.

"Yeah, and I wanted to give him some space. He needed to spend time with his mother after all these years." I looked down.

"I think alright to get in contact with him now. He's coming with us on the trip, after all. Besides an expert like him will be a great asset to our team." Blue admitted.

"Why don't you go see him?" Blue turned to me.

"Huh? Why me? Why can't you go?" I asked, startled.

"I have some things to take care of back home, with Gramps and all. And you're the closest person to Red besides me."

"True, but," I tried to think of an excuse.

"You suddenly have a problem with him? Isn't he your friend?" Blue crossed his arms in suspicion.

"We are, yeah okay. I'll go." I said reluctantly.

"Good. I suggest you go now." He checked his watch. It's only one-thirty."

"What?"

"The sooner we get everything done, the better." Blue said.

"He's right." Calem agreed.

"Alright. I'll see you guys tomorrow." I got up. We said our goodbyes and agreed to start training as soon as we all gathered.

My head was clouded with thoughts the whole trip to Pallet Town. What do I say to Red? 'Hey what sup just stopping by'? With any other friend I would. I felt like I was forgetting something more important.

I finally stopped in front of Red's house. I stood there for a few minutes. My heart was racing, and my palms were sweaty. Swallowing my fear, I knocked on the door. I breathed a sigh of relief when Red's mother answered, only to freeze when I remembered that I still haven't told her the truth.

"Gold? Nice to see you again! It's been quite a bit! I was wondering when you'll visit." She gestured me inside.

"Hi, ma'am. Um actually, I need to talk to you and Red,"

"Oh? Is something wrong, dear?" She asked.

"I guess you can say that," I said. "I think it's best if we all sat down."

"Um, okay, I'll get Red to come downstairs." She went upstairs. Not only will I see Red again, but I will also reveal the truth behind her son's passing.

"Gold," A low voice muttered. My pupils shrunk upon locking eyes with Red.

"R-Red," I blushed. He smiled slightly, and it made my heart skip a beat. Before I could say more, he pulled me into a hug. I was taken aback at first but then hugged back. We stood there for a few minutes before I whispered in his ear.

"Red, I think it's finally time I tell her,"

At first Red looked confused but then his face fell after realizing what I meant.

"Are you coming in? I've prepared drinks." His mother said.

We exchanged glances and walked inside. Red sat down beside me. We sat across his mother and I began.

"It's about your younger son."

"What?" She looked at me with a confused expression.

"Do you remember, your younger son's best friend?" I asked

"I mean Ryou had plenty of friends, he was very friendly." His mother said looking down.

"I apologize for bringing up such a touchy subject, but it's important," I said. "He had a best friend, whom he would always play with. They were neighbors too."

"Oh, now that you mention it, there was a little boy he'd always play with. I forgot his name though, since I tried so hard not to remember such painful memories."

"Me too," I breathed in, ready to speak. "That's why I didn't recognize you at first. Though you looked familiar. But I tried so hard to erase my memories, too." I said without meeting her eyes.

I felt her froze across from me. She then took a good look at me. "G-Gold?"

I looked up at her and nodded sadly.

"Oh my god…" She whispered.

"Wait, there's more," I added.

She just silently listened. And I told her. I told her everything. How we were playing. How I was the one who threw the ball into the street. How I held him in my arms as he died. How I lived his dream. And how I always wanted to apologize.

When I was done, I stood up and bowed.

"I'm so sorry! It's my fault! I wish I never threw that ball! I'm sorry you didn't know until now! Please…even if I don't deserve your forgiveness, please accept my apology and know how truly sorry and guilty I feel!" I sobbed. Red stood up and put his hands on my shoulders. His mother only looked back in shock, tears flowing down her face. Then she did something unexpected. Instead of scolding me or blaming me, I was suddenly being squeezed.

"Gold! I'm so sorry I wasn't there! I miss my son so much!" She sobbed.

I cried. "No! I should be sorry! It's my fault!"

She pulled away and looked at me. "It's no one's fault. I'm sure he forgives all of us. He wouldn't want us crying over him."

The three of us stood there in silence, smiling like a heavy burden was lifted off our shoulders. We knew what Ryou truly wanted.

She insisted I stay for dinner. I told her of my adventures and how Red saved me first. Although Red stayed silent most of the time, he did occasionally smile and laugh at some parts of my stories.

"Gold, you said you remember thinking that I looked familiar when you first came over to talk about Red right?" His mother suddenly brought up.

"Yeah, why?" I looked up from the dinner plate.

"If you and Ryou have been friends for so long, do you remember Red? They are brothers after all; surely you must've seen Red once."

Now that she mentioned it, it was a bit odd. Having repressed these memories for so long almost made me forget many things. It was the same for his mother since she didn't recognize me until I mentioned it.

"I might've seen him a few times, my memory is pretty fuzzy." I said.

Red looked down with a guilty expression on his face. "Our age differences. I was with friends my age and spent less time with him."

His mother rubbed his back while I looked down at my plate. Red was about three years older. Ryou was nine years old when he died, and Red must've been twelve. He was probably hitting puberty at the time.

"It's okay Red, we're here now," I tried to sound cheerful. Red looked at me. Though he didn't smile, his eyes softened.

I didn't want any awkward silence, so I brought up another subject. Red as always, stayed silent, though I don't think it was because he doesn't talk much.

She insisted I stayed the night. Even though Red didn't say anything, his eyes told me he wanted me to stay.

"Hey Red, I'm sorry," I said, looking down at my hands. I sat in the middle of the room on a mat.

"It's just," I continued. "Everything I guess. I'm really grateful to your mother for forgiving me. She's a very kind person. I see where he gets it from." I blushed a bit.

At first Red didn't say anything. He just looked at me with quiet eyes. I stared back but quickly looked away. This whole time I was in his room, my heart was thumping fast.

"Why are you nervous?"

My head snapped up. "W-What?"

He slid off his bed and knelt to meet my eyes. He leaned in a bit too close. I turned my head away, biting my lip.

"I-I don't know what you mean,"

"You're a bad liar," He whispered and titled my chin to make me look at him.

"T-T-Th-That's!" My eyes went wide, and I scampered backwards. He just smirked and suddenly pounced on me, straddling my hips. My mouth just hung open, unable to form words.

"I missed you," He whispered from above me. He caressed cheek with his hand. I almost closed my eyes on how good it felt.

"I-I'm sorry I-I just wanted to give you some time to catch up with your mom and everyone in your hometown a-a-and I got caught up with Calem- "A hand covered my mouth.

"?!"

"Calem?" His smile left his face.

I pushed his hand away. "Y-Yeah He's new here so I wanted to show him around. Me and everyone else. Now uh, do you mine uh, getting off me please?" I said turning away.

He stood up and walked towards the door. What the hell just happened?

"Where are you going?" I asked, sitting up.

He grabbed a towel and glanced over at me. Oh, guess he was going to take a shower. I suddenly remembered the embarrassing incident back at Mt. Silver when I walked in on Red showering in the cavern. Seeming to read my thoughts, he walked over and gently lifted my chin.

"Wanna watch?"

"What?! Y-You know that was an accident!"

Red laughed and walked into the bathroom.

"Geez," I sighed.

I decided to play his video games to pass time.

When he got out, I dropped the controller.

"W-Why are you only wearing a towel?!" I shouted.

He had walked in shirtless with a towel tied to his waist. Using another towel to dry is hair; he stared in my direction. Suddenly he grabbed my wrist and threw me on the bed. Before I could react, Red crawled on top of me.

"W-W-Wha...?" I blushed like a beet being close to a half-naked Red. He pinned my wrists above my head with one hand and used his other hand to reach down to his towel.

"W-What are you doing?! Don't take it off!" I squeezed my eye shut.

He gently caressed my face and I opened one eye.

He was wearing black boxer briefs. I was relieved he wasn't completely naked. Only it didn't last long. Up close, his body looked more toned. His black bangs fell over his deep crimson eyes. It complemented his mysterious looks. I blushed. Red really was beautiful.

Red gently my hair and looked at me passionately.

"Gold," He whispered in a low husky voice.

"!"

He ran his hand up my black shirt then lifted it.

"N-no w-wai-!" I blurted out. He covered my mouth again and leaned in.

"She'll hear you." He whispered. Crap. I forgot his mom was home too.

Red lowered his gaze towards my body. He stroked my chest and brought his lips to my neck.

"Nngghh …" I couldn't hide my face, so I turned my head to the side. He peppered my neck with more quick kisses before biting gently. I fidgeted.

"Gold look at me," I shook my head against the pillow. He released his grip on me. I was glad to have my hands back. He leaned his forehead against mine.

"Am I scaring you?"

"I-I'm nerv-" I stuttered.

"Relax."

I nodded. I trusted Red. I fell into a complete daze while he continued trailing kisses from my neck down to my stomach. After a few minutes he leaned over to kiss my forehead and cuddled me from behind.

"Hey Red?" I said after lying there for a while.

"Mmm?"

"The night I came back, Ryou came to say goodbye to me… in my dreams." I whispered.

Red lifted his head.

"I was so happy." I continued, tears forming in my eyes. "But I was also sad. I didn't want to see him go again."

"Gold," Red sat up. I turned around to look at him.

"He appeared in my dream that night too,"

My eyes widened.

"He said goodbye to me too."

"He…" my voice trailed off. I threw my arms around Red and cried. He smiled sadly and hugged back. Ryou gave both of us closure. And now we can finally move on.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> A/N: So they finally meet again! What did you think of the fanservice ;P I added more detail to it than the original script, hehehe.   
> Gold finally confronted his past! He's ready for anything!   
> Now it's time for their next adventure, so stay tuned!


	28. Chapter 28

I woke up to the my pokegear buzzing on the nigh stand. I struggled to get an arm out of Red's grasp and answered.

"Hello?"

"Gold wake up. Training starts today."

"What?" I whined, rubbing my eyes.

"Idiot, I did say we start ASAP."

"Right…"

"And you didn't call us back last night. Weren't you supposed to get Red?"

"Oh shit, sorry… I had to clear some things up with him first."

"Gold, we don't have much time." Blue sounded irritated.

"I forgot… sorry Blue, but this was really important. I'll tell him now, okay? Just give us some time. Also, I don't know how he'll take all this."

Red shuffled and opened his eyes. I stroked his hair and mouthed good morning.

Blue sighed. "Alright, sorry. I know he just got settled in. Just call me back later. We're meeting in my gym to start our training."

"Okay. See you."

I put my face in my hands after hanging up. Red sat up next to me and rubbed my back.

"Oh hey, I'm fine, Red. A lot's been going on since we came back… I didn't get a chance to tell you last night. That was Blue on the phone just now reminding me."

Red just looked at me.

"It's a lot to take in, why don't we discuss it after we freshen up? Also, let's not discuss it in front of your mom. This… could be dangerous. I haven't even told my mother."

Red looked confused. I took his hand.

"Trust me, okay? Please?"

He smiled and nuzzled my cheek.

"Ok, ok, let's have breakfast," I giggled.

After we ate, his mother left to go shopping.

"Ok, its better if we're alone. I don't want her to accidentally hear this." I said when we walked into his room.

He sat down on the bed, looking at me expectantly.

I took a deep breath and began.

After I was done, a look of shock and anger plastered his face. He grabbed my hand and looked at me dead in the eye.

"Thanks Red. We will stop them no matter what it takes." I squeezed back.

We arrived at Blue's gym about an hour later. It was empty except for Blue, Lyra, Silver and Calem.

"Hey Gold! Oh you bought him!" Lyra waved.

"Hey," Silver nodded.

"Gold, Red, good to see you again." Calem smiled.

Blue went up to Red. "Thanks for coming, I'm sure Gold told you everything." He looked away.

Red nodded.

"But now that we have you, it'll help us a lot!" Lyra beamed at the quiet boy.

"Sorry to drag you into this. But even I couldn't ignore this." The redhead crossed his arms.

"Now that everyone is here, lets discuss the schedule. We train here at least five days a week until we depart to Kalos." The gym leader announced.

"Five days?!" Lyra, Silver, and I said in unison.

"We're going up against higher ranks from criminal organizations. We don't have much time to prepare, either. We leave in about a month."

We stayed silent, a concerned look on our faces. Red on the other hand, looked stoic. Training daily is nothing new to him.

"I have a suggestion." Calem raised a hand. "Why don't we try raising our Pokémon's affection?"

"Affection?" Blue raised an eyebrow.

"But me and my Pokémon are very affectionate!" Lyra claimed.

"It's a bit different than that. Affection is raised when you spend quality time with your Pokémon like patting, feeding, or playing games. The higher the affection, the more likely they will dodge attacks and shake off status effects." He explained.

"Shake off status effects? I thought only items can do that!" Lyra's mouth dropped.

"How come we didn't know about this?" Silver asked.

"It was a newly discovered strategy in an experiment done in Kalos. Like around the time my friends and I started our journey."

"That's only a little more than a year ago." Blue pondered.

"Yeah but the scientists didn't want to send any false info to other regions, so we kept it to ourselves for the time being. Its confirmed now, so it should work. I wanted to tell you guys, but I think now was the perfect time."

We all exchanged glances.

"This is perfect, actually. It's settled. On days we aren't training let's raise our Pokémon's affection." Blue nodded.

"This'll be fun!" Lyra smiled.

"Red and I will help you guys train. In a way it helps us too." He added.

"Oooooooh we get to be trained by the ultimate champion!" stars formed in Lyra's eyes.

"This is gonna be a chore…" Silver rubbed his forehead.

"Yeah you better be prepared to get your lazy ass out of bed early." Blue crossed his arms.

Silver growled and the rest of us snickered.

"Alright, let's begin. Gold, you're up first." Blue beckoned me over.

"I'm ready, I wanna see how far we've come, Blue." I said with a determined look in my eyes.

"I never said I was going to battle you."

"Huh?"

"You'll be fighting him." He nodded towards Red.

"W-what?"

"We don't know our enemies. We only know of their sick ideas, not what tactics they use when battling. The only advantage we got is our bond with out Pokémon, which they obviously don't have. But that's it. Now, on with the show. You may begin." Blue said and watched on the referee's side.

I took his words into consideration and sighed. I've seen Red train, and I know he's not an easy opponent.

Red bought out his Espeon.

I thought for a moment, then threw my pokeball.

"Go, Togekiss!" the fairy Pokémon cheered and flew around. Espeon stood still, observing Togekiss.

"C'mon Gold, you got this! Woooo!" Lyra cheered.

"He's going up against a legend. The last thing he needs is a loud ass idiot who's gonna distract him." Silver nudged her.

I rolled my eyes. If I lose, I'll definitely blame Lyra.

"Alright, Togekiss, let's start of with Nasty Plot!"

Togekiss closed her eyes and a dark aura formed around her head before opening her eyes again.

"Now follow up with Dazzling Gleam!"

She nodded and blasted a rainbow pinkish light towards the psychic Pokémon. Espeon didn't flinch and Togekiss' attack was suddenly stopped by another light.

"Psyshock, huh." I muttered, only now remembering Red doesn't talk during battle. I shook off the nervousness and said,

"No worries, Togekiss, use Air Slash!"

Togekiss zoomed into the air, disappearing for a moment.

"Where did it go?" Lyra asked.

"His Togekiss is fast." Calem noted.

"Maybe Espeon won't stand a chance." Silver said.

Blue remained silent.

Togekiss suddenly came from behind Espeon only to be hit by a green beam.

"Signal Beam?!" Lyra shouted.

"Against a fairy type, it shouldn't have done much damage. But why use it?" Calem wondered.

"Its ok Togekiss! It's just a bug type move!" I said with confidence. Togekiss didn't respond but was moving around the air in an odd pattern.

"Huh? What's wrong, girl?"

"She's confused!" Lyra pointed out.

"So that's what Red was up to. Shit, this isn't good." Silver said.

"Crap, c'mon Togekiss snap out of it!"

Instead she started knocking herself against the walls, causing more damage.

"Oh no, she's hurting herself in confusion!" Lyra bit her nail.

Espeon then quickly levitated in the air near Togekiss and blasted Psyshock onto Togekiss' wing, causing her to fall.

"Togekiss!" I shouted as she fell to the ground.

"Togekiss is unable to battle. Espeon is the winner!" Blue announced.

I ran up to my Pokémon.

"Are you ok, girl? Does your wing hurt?"

"Togekiss…." She smiled weakly.

"Her wing took damage, but nothing severe." Blue walked up to me and sprayed some medicine on her.

I sighed in relief and returned her to her Pokeball. I stood in silence, trying to recollect what transpired.

Red and Espeon (who was clean of any scratches) eyed me. Disheartened, I looked away.

"Gold, are you okay?" Lyra and the others ran up to me.

"Man, he was tough. He finished that battle fast." Silver looked troubled.

"Yeah, I wasn't even able to graze Espeon." I bit my lip.

"He really is something else…" Calem pointed out.

"Gold, have you ever seen Red battle?" Blue walked up to me.

"Yeah, well not so much battle just train on Mt. Silver. Why?"

"You thought you knew his technique from just that, didn't you?"

"Well, um…"

"That's the issue. You got too confident."

I didn't answer, but he wasn't wrong.

"Listen Gold, you're intelligent and quick thinking. I can tell from our battle way back and from this one. You truly love and care for your Pokémon. If these weren't true, you wouldn't have earned sixteen badges. Not many trainers have accomplished that."

Lyra and Calem smiled at me proudly. Silver nodded.

"However, I've been a gym leader for a while now, and I've seen your type. The overconfident trainer who has earned many badges eventually gets to me thinking it'll be another easy win. Earning that many badges can only get you so far. Improving your strategy and changing your mindset is what you need. Don't rush into battle thinking you know your opponent. Take a second to predict and outthink your opponent. Psychic Pokémon like Espeon are especially tough, but that's exactly why Red bought him out first."

I looked at him and nodded slowly.

"There's a reason I became a gym leader. After I lost to Red, I was completely distraught. How could I lose? I got all my badges and defeated the Elite Four for crying out loud! Gramps told me that I got too confident. I decided to take some time off and think. I realized I forgot to show my Pokémon love and trust. When people gain power, they lose their sense of reason. They allow themselves to drown in it, thinking they're untouchable. They forget what's important. That's what happened to me, and that's what I see happen to many elite trainers nowadays. So before they get a chance to battle the Elite Four, they have to face me first, exactly how I want it. I'm here to stop them before they lose themselves. Take a breather and think. Are they truly ready? Will you be able to face the real world? Are you willing to admit your flaws? Because if you're not, then a badge is just a piece of medal." Blue finished.

We stared at him speechless.

"Uh yeah, sorry for the speech. Just wanted to get my words out there."

"What? No, its fine, I'll think about what you said." I ushered.

"Good, so let's continue. Lyra, you're up. But your battling me."

"Oh goodie!" she jumped and took the stage.

After a long day of loses and some criticism, we left the gym.

"You all still have a lot to learn. But I believe we can do this. Let's meet same time tomorrow." Blue said.

We agreed and said our goodbyes before he took off on Pidgeot.

"Man, that was tough. I had fun though! Blue's gotten stronger!" Lyra stretched.

"Oh god, that guy was up my ass the whole time. Do we really have to endure this for a month?" Silver rubbed his temples.

"It's good training. I'm glad we're doing this." Calem said.

"I agree. Well let's get some rest for tomorrow. We're gonna need it." I sighed.

"Alright, later." Everyone left on their flying types leaving me and Red.

"Um, good battle today. You really deserve your title." I smiled sheepishly.

Red blushed and nodded.

"Well, later." I was about to take out my pokeball when a hand grabbed my arm.

"?"

"…. Spend the night."

I blinked a few times before agreeing. "Uh, sure."

Back in Red's house, we ate dinner in silence. When we were done, we went up to his room to watch tv. Neither one of us was paying attention to it, though.

"Gold,"

"What's up?" I asked.

"Is she alright?"

"Who? Oh Togekiss. Yeah she's fine."

He frowned.

"It's alright Red, I needed a good defeat. What Blue said was true, we still have much to learn. I may be a champion, but even I could get rusty. But you truly are amazing, Red."

Red blushed then leaned in close until our lips met. Surprised, I hesitated to kiss back.

"Gold," He whispered. I gasped for air.

"Hey what's that for?" I asked.

"Nothing. I just…" He gently pushed me back on the bed. My body shivered when his icy hand ran up my shirt. He stopped for a moment to remove his shirt.

Not again, I thought and turned my head. He gestured my face back and pecked my lips before locking it with mine.

"Mmm!" his tongue entered my mouth before I realized it. I complied and let him take control. How was he such a good kisser? Red let go of my lips and kissed my jawline and neck.

"Ah…Red.." I moaned.

He started peppering my collarbone and chest. I gripped the sheets underneath.

"Red…hey… we should get some rest for tomorrow." I tried to comply.

Red stopped and pouted. He leaned in to kiss me once more before hugging me tight.

"Goodnight," he whispered into my ear before falling asleep.

"You were this tired already?" I laughed. "You didn't have to train as hard as us… ahhh you just had to fall asleep on top of me." I stroked his toned back, deep in thought. The training session and Blue's words repeated in my head. Red shuffling on top of me snapped me out of my thoughts.

"This is gonna be a long month…" I sighed.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> A/N: I know Gold is supposed to be one of the strongest trainers out there, but I wanted to show that even he isn't perfect and has a lot to learn before travelling further. Also I really liked the addition of affection in gen 6 so I decided to add that as well. I think it would make for some interesting battle scenes. Anyways, see you soon!


	29. Chapter 29

My eyes snapped open when my pokegear rang. Groaning, I picked it up.

"Hello?"

"Rise and shine! Today is the big day!" Lyra shouted.

"Ahh!" I rubbed my ear.

"What the hell?" Silver's voice said.

"You called both of us?" I sat up.

"Yep! Gotta kill two stones with one bird!" She beamed.

"You have it backwards, moron." Silver rubbed his eyes.

"Hey well this moron helped you two sleepyheads wake up! Did you forget what today is?"

"Oh crap! We depart to Kalos today! Did you contact Blue and Calem?" I jumped out of bed.

"Already did! They were already awake and probably on their way now."

"Shit," Silver pulled his blanket off.

"Silver! We're meeting in Olivine City! That's where the S.S. Aqua is!" I said while trying to get dressed.

"Alright, alright, I'll be there as fast as I can." He grunted.

"I'm waiting outside your apartment Silver, so you knuckleheads better hurry up!" Lyra giggled.

"Shut up. We'll be right there." He responded and hung up.

While I was in the bathroom, I splashed cold water in my face. I felt my heart beating in my chest. This past month was hectic. We trained our Pokémon under Blue's brutal training regimen. I did feel my Pokémon and I have gotten even closer. Battling Red was no walk in the park either, none of us were able to beat him yet. I smirked at my reflection.

"A badge is just a piece of medal, huh…"

"Gold? Are you up?" My mom called.

I turned off the sink. "Yeah, I'm ready!" When I got downstairs my mom handed me boxed lunches.

"What's this for?"

"For your journey, silly. Wouldn't want you or your friends to get hungry."

"Mom, there's gonna be food on the deck." I laughed.

"Nothing beats a mother's cooking." She said proudly. "Besides, those sketchy cooking won't help you grow."

"Mom!"

"Haha only teasing, dear. You're already a handsome young boy. I know Red thinks so." She giggled.

"What?! How did- why- I mean,"

"Hehe, call it mother's intuition. I can tell from the way you spoke about him. I never seen you speak so fondly of someone."

I blushed.

"Have fun in Kalos. And be careful, okay? Stay close to everyone." She hugged me.

"I will. Thank you." I hugged back.

Outside, I saw Lyra and Silver waiting for me.

"Hey, look who was able to get up."

"Shut up! It's not like I could sleep through Lyra's loud-ass voice anyway."

"Enough with the insults! Let's get going!" She took out her pokeball.

At Olivine City, Red, Blue, Calem, Professor Oak, and Red's mom were all present.

"Hello children! You're just in time. The Aqua doesn't leave for half an hour." Oak greeted.

"Hey Professor!" Lyra waved.

Silver nodded to him.

"Hi professor. Thanks again so much for giving us these tickets." I shook his hand.

"Think nothing of it, Gold. After the journeys you and your friends have gone through, it's the least I can do."

"Surprised you got up on time." Blue sneered.

"Shut up," my rival responded.

"Hey guys. Can't wait for you to see Kalos." Calem smiled.

"I can't wait! I wanna go to all the cafes!" Lyra squealed.

"You're gonna go broke first." Silver muttered.

"I can't wait either. I want to see all the Pokémon." I added.

When we got to the dock, a delicate hand gently grabbed mine. Confused, I turned around to see Red's mother with a concerned look on her face.

"Gold, may I speak to you for a second?"

I looked over to see the others distracted, exchanging words of excitement.

I nodded.

"Please, look after my son. He's a responsible young man, but I'd feel better if someone was watching him."

"Oh sure, but uh, why are you asking me?"

"I've seen the way Red looks at you. He doesn't speak much but when he does it's always about you It's obvious he deeply cares for you."

"R-really?" this was indeed a shock.

"Yes, I know my son, and its been a long time since he's looked at someone that way. I feared that… after what happened he wouldn't want to get close to anyone. I'm glad he met you. Thank you… for being such a good friend to my sons." She pulled me into a hug. Not knowing what else to do, I complied.

"I will."

After everyone exchanged words, it was time to board the ship.

"Goodbye Professor Oak!"

"Take care kids! Don't get into trouble now!"

Red's mother hugged him.

"I'll come back. Promise." He whispered. She teared up and nodded.

"I know,"

When we got to the ship, people were running around trying to find their rooms. Others were enjoying the luxury. I felt a wave of nostalgia.

"Man, its been so long since I stepped foot here."

"Yeah! This is where we met you, Blue!" Lyra turned to the taller male.

"Heh, you were so pissed at me. I was wondering why this short stuff wanted to pick a fight." (refer back to chapter one)

"Hey! I was worried about Lyra, ok?"

"Where's our cabins?" Calem looked around.

"You and Silver are down the hall on the right wing. I'm on the second floor, and Red, Gold, and Lyra are on the first."

"Why are we separated?" Silver asked.

"Who knows, for now let's just go to our assigned rooms and settle in. Let's meet up later, I'll tell you when." I said.

They looked slightly confused but nodded.

I went to my room and threw flopped on the bed. A month of training and waking up early took a toll on my body. While lying there, I looked around the sky-blue colored room and simple furniture. I looked out the rounded window and saw the sun rising. From here I was still able to smell the salty waves of the ocean. I smiled at the memories of excitement going to Kanto for the first time. I closed my eyes when my Pokegear's notification tone rang. It was Officer Jenny.

'Did you guys board yet? My cabin is on the second floor. Knock three times.'

'Alright.'

When I went up to the second-floor cabin area, I knocked three times. She opened it and I saw that Blue was already there.

"Hey Officer. How are you? How's work?"

"It's alright," She sighed. "I took off work for the time being to focus on this case. I'll be undercover, so just call me Jenny or Jen."

"Alright."

"Why did you only call us here?" Blue asked.

"I didn't want to draw attention."

"Understandable. That's why are rooms are all over the place." He noted.

"But why? We're going all the way to Kalos." I questioned.

"Actually, while I was doing research, I found out that there may members of Team Rocket on this ship." She said in a low voice.

"What?!" Blue and I said.

"Keep it down!"

"Are they spies?" I asked.

"I can't say for sure. But its too coincidental to not be a theory."

"Shoot, if they are, how do they know about us?" Blue wondered.

"Word probably spread fast. Maybe one of the Rockets contacted their colleagues when you got that one in Goldenrod. The Whirl Islands infiltration probably wouldn't have gone unnoticed."

"Sorry. We should've done a better job." I looked down.

"It's fine, Gold."

"Also, none of your rooms have any chips, I checked before you got on. But if you see someone following you, keep walking to make sure. Also, notify me immediately and try to describe what they look like."

"Right."

"I figured there could be more of them lurking, so we decided not to tell our parents. Including my gramps, the Professor."

"That was a smart move. You wouldn't wanna endanger any loved ones."

I thought of my mother and didn't even want to imagine what could happen.

"Alright, let's hope what I found out is false. You can have fun while you're here but stay alert. I'll be watching. But let's keep each other updated. I'll continue to do my research."

When we left the cabin, we gathered the others at the cafeteria and updated everyone.

"Shit. We can't even catch a break, can we?" Silver sighed.

"This is fun! I feel like a detective under cover!" Lyra's eyes sparkled.

"Can you be serious for once? Anyways, let's not make it obvious what we're really here for. Let's just play a bunch of kids having fun." Blue ordered.

"Right," We agreed.

"Don't engage into battle either, unless absolutely necessary." He added.

"Yeah it could cause a panic among everyone." Calem agreed.

"Aw," Lyra pouted. Silver and I rolled our eyes.

"But let's not talk to much about it here. There's too many people." Blue said.

"Let's gather in one of our rooms if anything." I suggested.

They all agreed.

For the remainder of the day, we ate lunch, played games in the leisure room, and explored the ship.

Tired from a long day, I went back to my cabin. The window showed the starry night sky over the peaceful ocean. I messaged my mom telling her my first day was going well so she wouldn't worry. I sighed.

There was a knock on the door, nearly making me jump.

Cautiously, I got up. Looking through the peephole, I saw it was Red and sighed in relief.

"Hey Red, what's up?"

He just hugged me.

"Okay, okay, Red. Wanna come in?"

He took his face in his hands and kissed me.

"Mmmph!"

He gently pushed me back in the room and shut the door.

"Ahh…Hey what's gotten into you lately?" I said while he kissed my neck and ran his hands up my shirt.

During the past month of training, Red would start getting intimate with me whenever I stayed over. He didn't give an explanation for this, not that I expected him to. I didn't hate it, so I let him.

"May I stay?" His husky voice whispered.

"You mean in my cabin? Yeah sure." My face heated up.

He smiled and nodded behind me. I shyly nodded and sat down on the bed. He shed most of his clothes and turned off the lamp shade. Only the full moon illuminated the room, making his red eyes glow. If he wasn't the most beautiful human being on this planet I didn't know who was.

"You really have beautiful eyes, Red." I gently stroked his face. He moaned into the touch and pushed me back.

"Gold, you're more amazing…"

I laughed nervously. "C'mon. I'm not that-hey!" he slowly unzipped my sweater.

"I love your eyes too. Especially when they beg for more."

"Red! Don't say that! Its embarrassing!" I covered my face. He laughed and pinned my hands to the side and kissed me. This was gonna be a long night.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> A/N: Yikes! a spy? What awaits them on their way to Kalos?


	30. Chapter 30

Lyra couldn't believe her eyes. Gold? Of all people? And with the Pokémon master himself, Red? Lyra stood a few doors down Gold's room. She had left her room to test if anyone would follow her due to the later hours. Surprisingly, many people were still out and about. Most were having late dinners or playing at the casino and gaming area.

She pouted and lightly kicked the floor. "I wanna play some zombie games…"

Then she slapped her cheeks. "Wait a minute, Lyra! This is no time for games! Red and Gold are…. Oh my gosh I gotta tell someone!" she twiddled her fingers excitedly, trying to decide.

But before she could make her decision, a hand covered her mouth and pulled her into the nearest cabin. She was suddenly thrown on the bed.

"Wow this is so comfy! Why isn't my bed as nice as this? I gotta complain to maid services." She pouted and crossed her arms.

"Hey you dunce! You just got kidnapped!" a male voice shouted.

"Keep your voice down. We don't know how thin these walls are." An irritated woman's voice said.

Lyra tilted her head in curiosity at her attackers. Both seemed to be in their late twenties wearing casual attire. Which would seem normal if not for their fiery red hair.

"Heh. You're no ordinary passengers are ya? I can smell one of you crooks from a mile away!" She smiled proudly.

"Watch your mouth, kid." The woman growled.

"If you can smell us, why couldn't you sense me behind you?" the man smirked.

"I was thinking about fighting zombies in video games. You know, a real threat." Lyra smiled sweetly.

"You little-"the man stepped towards her but was stopped by the woman.

"You've got some guts, little girl. Though I wouldn't push your luck." She said. "But you're right, we're not here for a vacation. We're members of the organization of all things beauty, Team Flare."

"Team Flare!? I thought you were maybe Team Rocket members!" the twin tailed girl's eyes widened.

"We are cooperating with them for various reasons, but you won't hear much more. Nor will you be able to tell your precious friends." The man said.

"Wait you know about us?"

"As soon as the incident took place in Whirl Islands, word spread like wildfire. A rumor that a bunch of kids destroyed a whole headquarters seemed absurd. We were sent to see it for ourselves. We assumed you all already knew about the alliance and that we'd be in Kalos. Going by boat is the only way to get there, so we took the risk and got tickets."

Lyra yawned. "So why am I here, again?"

"Take us more seriously you little brat! If their precious little friend's life is on the line here, your friends will be forced to leave us alone for good." He snickered.

"Meh, you should be more worried about yourselves."

"Excuse me?" He said.

Suddenly, a black shadow leaped out and grabbed them.

"What the hell?"

"What did you do?"

"You know what I love about ghost Pokémon?" Lyra said as she got up from the bed and walked towards them. They both glared at her while struggling at the same time. She put her arms around them and whispered,

"Is cuz you can neeeeeeever see them." She giggled darkly.

"You little bitch!" the man struggled.

Lyra giggled and left the room.

Mismagius laughed and released them.

"What the…" the man caught his breath.

"How… how is she so…" The woman looked at the ghostly creature in disbelief. Mismagius just smiled and disappeared.

XXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXX

A frantic knock woke Silver from his sleep.

"What the…." He groaned and got up. When he saw Lyra through the peephole, he opened it.

"The hell do you want at this hour-OOMPH!" he was knocked backwards with Lyra on top.

"SIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIILLLLLVEEEERR! I got some crazy news!"

"Couldn't it wait til morning? And get off me!"

"Oops, sorry hehehe." She got up and closed the door.

Silver yawned and sat down on his bed. "What is it?"

"Its Gold! You'll never believe what I saw!"

"What about him?" He rubbed his eyes, not paying much attention.

"He and Red are dating!"

"What?" His eyes shot open. "Why the hell would you assume that?"

"I saw them! I saw Red go in his room!"

"So? They could be talking about something important. Doesn't mean they're dating, they just became good friends."

"Would friends make out?"

"Huh?!"

"Yep! I saw Red grab his face and then full on smooch action!"

Silver just gawked at her then shook his head.

"Are you sure you saw this? This isn't another one of your weird dreams is it?" He eyed her.

"Certain. If you want proof, lets knock on his door and find out." She said with confidence.

"No, that'll just be rude." He looked down. "But Gold? He never seemed to care about that."

"Red must be really special to him." She smiled dreamily.

"Why didn't he tell us? Aren't we his friends?"

"He probably didn't know how. Besides, all this crap with Team Rocket going on, it would be hard to find the right time."

"True, but damn. Who knew." He chuckled.

"Also, I got kidnapped by Team Flare just now." She said in a disinterested voice.

"YOU WHAT?!?!"

XXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXX

A few doors down, Gold pulled his lips away from Red. The half-naked boy on top of him raised an eyebrow. They were buried under the blankets, nearly undressed.

"Was that Silver just now?" Gold said.

They listened for a few seconds but heard nothing.

"Was it my imagination? Maybe I should go check on him." Gold was about to get up but was pushed back down by Red.

"He's fiiiiine." The red-eyed male said playfully as he leaned in closer, pulling the sheets back up over his head.

"But…" He was cut off once more. Gold couldn't resist the heated sensation they've been feeling and gave in.

XXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXX

"Team Flare is here?!" Everyone said. We were all in Jenny's room, right before lunchtime.

Silver and Lyra nodded.

"So there were members here." Jenny said in a troubled voice.

"Lyra! Why didn't you tell us right after?" Blue scolded.

"Hey I didn't wanna draw attention! Besides they made it obvious that they strike at night." She retorted.

"Shouldn't we report them?" Calem asked.

"It would draw too much attention; besides we can't spy on them."

"She's right." The young police officer said. "It's best we lay low for now, especially since they know who we are."

"But they don't seem to know you're involved, from what they told me." Lyra said.

"That's a relief…" I sighed.

"That's good, they don't know that we have allies. They just think we're a bunch of overpowered, reckless kids." Blue crossed his arms.

"Wait, Lyra, earlier you said, 'we can't spy on them'. What did you mean by that?" Jenny asked.

"Oh, when I said I put my arms around them, I attached a small microphone on their collars."

"What?!" We all shouted. She took out a device. It played voices.

"Oh, and if they change, Mismagius attached one under their bed. She's a backup herself; if necessary she'll follow them as their shadow." She added.

We were all speechless.

"Where the hell did you get all this shit?" Silver asked.

"I know a guy." She shrugged.

"Lyra, I don't know how you did this, but great job. With this, we can hear their next plans. I knew I could count on you kids." Jenny smiled.

We nodded. With Lyra's new strategy, there was more to figure out what our enemies were up to.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> A/N: I decided to make fun of the damsel in distress situation, since Lyra is the only female in their friend group. But unlike other girls who need saving, she can take care of herself. What do you expect from the best friend of a Pokemon champion?


	31. Chapter 31

We decided to go our separate ways on the ship. If anything happened, Jenny would notify us instantly, since she would be the one listening to the chips. During the whole discussion, I felt Lyra passing glances. It made me slightly uncomfortable, which was odd since I was used to her invasion of personal space. After the meeting, we all headed out in separate directions. Before I could get to Lyra, I noticed her dragging Silver along to the game room. I sighed and figured it would have to wait. In the meantime, I decided to get breakfast.

While in the buffet area, I was taking some scrambled eggs when I overheard conversation between the two people ahead of me.

"Wait, so those brats really are on the ship?"

"Yeah, those Team Flare members were telling me about it."

Shoot, Team Flare? I noticed the two didn't have red hair, so I assumed they were part of Team Rocket instead. Shit, this meant that the size of our enemies here increased.

"What do they look like?"

"Well the one who escaped their room was a girl around sixteen. Had brown hair in pigtails and a white hat. Wore overalls too."

"Sounds like a fucking child. How the hell did she bypass them?"

"Apparently she was a sneaky little bitch. She had a ghost Pokémon of some sort."

My heart skipped a beat. Shit, they must mean Lyra. I sighed in relief when I remembered Lyra had her hair down today and wasn't wearing her hat. I'm glad Calem suggested we change our attire frequently, so they wouldn't recognize us easily.

When the two adults chose a table, I quickly chose the food I wanted. I didn't want to make it obvious I was listening, so I waited for a few moments then chose a table behind them. Luckily, they didn't seem to notice.

"Was she alone?"

"When they took her, yeah. But we're certain she's traveling with a few people. We don't know how many, though."

"They're probably all kids like her."

"Maybe, but a brat with that kind of confidence must have some strong authorities with her."

I gulped. These gangs were not to be underestimated. I'm relieved we planned ahead with our strategies and training.

When they were done eating, I almost got up. Then I remembered I couldn't make it obvious. I waited a bit to throw out my food and followed them. It was crowded, so blending in wouldn't be too hard. Its one of the few times being short came in handy.

I managed to follow them back to the cabins. It was on the first floor, where everyone was still passing though. This was better because they'd probably notice me following upstairs. I took note of the room number and went to the game room to warn Lyra.

I looked around and found her and Silver playing on one of the shooter games.

"WOOHOO! WATCH OUT SUCKAS! FEAR MY AK47!"

"Keep it down you idiot, we're on a luxury ship!" Silver said, annoyed.

I rolled my eyes and went up to them.

"Oh, hey Gold! Did you see my mad skills?" Lyra smiled.

"Yeah awesome. Listen, Lyra do you have any more of those chips?" I said in a low voice.

"Yep! I got Sour Cream and Onion and Barbeque flavor!" She said while taking two packages out of her bag.

"Not those chips, you idiot!" Silver said.

"Aw," She pouted.

"I'm talking about the ones you put on Team Flare!" I said impatiently.

"What? No, why?"

"Crap, I don't want to explain it here. Meet me in Jenny's room. Don't follow me just yet." I muttered. I looked around then left.

Silver and Lyra exchanged glances and followed a few moments after.

"There's two more?" Blue asked.

"Yeah, and its Team Rocket members this time. So we can definitely confirm that both teams are working together." Jenny said.

"Shit…." He rubbed his head. "And they know what Lyra looks like."

"It's alright, just avoid wearing the outfit you had that night." I told my friend.

She nods. "I'm not afraid of those wusses!"

"Just be careful, Lyra. Don't be too reckless." Jenny urged.

"She should probably always have one of us with her." I suggested.

"But that also means they could find out who else she's working with." Silver pointed out.

"Yeah and that fiery red hair of yours definitely stands out." Lyra giggled. Silver rolled his eyes.

"Wait, that gives me an idea!" I snapped my fingers.

"What is it?" Calem asked.

"Calem, you said all of Team Flare has red hair, right?"

"Correct. Some of them dyed it to show their loyalty to their organization."

"Well, since Lyra doesn't have any more chips, I think we might have another way of spying on them." I gestured my eyes towards the direction I wanted them to notice.

Everyone was confused at first, then we all smiled and turned to Silver.

"What?" He asked, creeped out. "Oh no…. No way!"

"Alright, so what's the plan?" Calem asked.

"Lyra will invade that room where Team Flare is, then we knock em both out, so we can steal the male grunt's clothes." I answered.

"What about the woman?" Silver asked.

"Jenny is gonna keep her hostage. She'll take care of her."

"Will Lyra be ok by herself?"

"It's best she doesn't risk showing who she's working with. And she'll be fine, she handled them last time. I grew up with this girl, so its no surprise she often comes out of dangerous situations unscathed."

Calem smiled. "If you believe in her, so do I."

We were waiting at the corner of the hall where their room was. Lyra was outside, waiting for us to give her the ok. We looked around then gave her a thumbs up. She winked and knocked on their door.

"Shit, its her." We heard faintly from the room.

"Should we open it?"

"I don't want to, but she might not leave."

The door opened, and the woman gathered up all her courage and asked,

"The hell do you want?"

Lyra just smiled, then did a karate pose.

"HIIIIIIIIIYYYYYAAAAAAAAAA!" She cried out before knocking the woman backwards into the room, the door crashing shut. There was rumbling in the room.

Calem and I stood their jaws dropped, dumbfounded. Silver put his face in his hands, muttering. After a few moments of the sounds of cursing, furniture being toppled, and laughing. Lyra came out whistling innocently. She came up to us and said,

"All clear!"

"I-uh, think we figured that out already." Calem stated.

"Man, if this was during the night, we would've gotten complaints." I said, noticing how noisy it still was elsewhere on the ship.

"Dumbass! We're supposed to be discreet about this!" Silver barely kept his voice level in check.

"Oops, sorry got carried away. Well who cares, c'mon!" she gestured us into the room.

We went into the room where they were staying. Both grunts have been knocked out. Lyra put the woman in the closet with duct tape over her mouth, wrists, and ankles. She did the same for the male grunt but not before stripping him down to his undergarments.

"Ugh, you had to do that in front of us?" Silver covered his eyes.

"Relax, here you're about the same size! She held up the man's clothes towards Silver's body.

"Now put this on quick, we just need to fix up your hair and put the shades and you'll be ready do go!"

"We'll stand guard outside." Calem said.

From inside the room, we heard Silver's complaints.

"Ow! Easy with the damn brush!"

"It's not my fault you have so many tangles!"

"Watch the damn hairspray! It's getting on my eyes!"

"Then close em!"

Calem and I giggled to ourselves. Lyra called us back in. I was surprised by how well she fixed him. I wouldn't have noticed the difference.

"Alright, lookin' good! I think I did a good job, if I do say so myself!" She smiled proudly.

"Ugh I look so tacky in this." Silver adjusted his black frames.

"It's ok, I doubt Team Rocket wouldn't notice. Though, I'm not sure about her." I looked at the closet.

"That's why you'll come up with a story that you got attacked by me again and I kidnapped your friend." Lyra patted Silver.

"You seriously think they'll buy that?" Silver yelled.

"Well they already know you've outsmarted them before, so they should." I pointed out.

"Alright, I'll give these chips to you. When the time comes, sneak it on them when they don't notice. And wear this. From Jenny, so you can talk to us through it." She gave Silver and earpiece.

"You guys are really putting a burden on me." He sighed and put it in his ear.

"It's the best strategy we could think of. Thank your genetics." I told him. "You'll be fine, if anything we can hear it and we'll come to your rescue."

"Welp time to go report back to Jenny! Good luck, Silver, I mean, Team Flare Grunt number 645!" She giggled, and we all went back to report what happened.

Meanwhile, Silver just sat in the room, and thought everything over.

"Why the hell am I still friends with these idiots…" He groaned.

**Author's Note:**

> A/N : What did ya think? Sorry if I did a lot of "flashbacks". I just wanted to make things a little more clear for the situation and give the characters backstory. Also some of these flashbacks are references to the original gameplay. If you're a Pokemon fanatic you noticed, right? :P Anyways, see you in the next chapter!


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